Life is Perfect
by lunargrrrl
Summary: Beca Mitchell attends Barden Academy in Acadia Bay and longs for something more from life. With both her dad and her old best friend gone, things are turned upside down when an unlikely saviour storms into her life. Hella fluff. Hella angst. Hella slow burn. Most importantly: Hella Bechloe. Bechloe Life is Strange AU.
1. I didn't know you yet

**A/N:** Hey all! So, this fic combines two of my favourite things: Pitch Perfect and Life is Strange. This isn't a crossover: Beca and Chloe and all the other Pitch Perfect characters are inserted into the Life is Strange universe and replace its characters, so you don't need to have played Life is Strange to understand the fic at all.

If you **have** played the video game Life is Strange: Before the Storm, you'll see that this fic follows closely to Chloe Price and Rachel Amber's story (but with Beca Mitchell and Chloe Price replacing them) so this does contain spoilers for the game if you haven't played it yet... (and if you haven't played it, you **really** should).

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 **Summary:** Set in Acadia Bay (ACAdia Bay, get it?), Beca Mitchell attends Barden Academy and longs for something more in life. Feeling alone and lost since both her father and her best friend disappeared, her life is turned upside down when an unlikely saviour storms into her life.

 **Characters:** A quick summary of the Pitch Perfect characters in place of Life is Strange characters:

 **Beca Mitchell** replaces Chloe Price  
 **Chloe Beale** replaces Rachel Amber  
 **Aubrey Posen** replaces Victoria Chase  
 **Jesse Swanson** replaces Eliot  
 **Cynthia-Rose and Benji** replace Steph and Mikey  
 **Stacie Conrad** replaces Dana Ward  
 **Jessica and Ashley** replaces Taylor and Courtney

Other character replacements will occur as the story progresses, Fat Amy will definitely make an appearance as will others from Pitch Perfect in place of the ones from Life is Strange.

 **Pairings:** Bechloe

 **Rating:** T for now. Set to change.

 **TW:** Alcohol/violence/minor drug use/death of a parent

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own either Pitch Perfect or Life is Strange, but I adore both series so I hope I do them justice.

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 **Chapter 1:** _ **"I once said I was better off just being dead, but I didn't know you yet"  
**_

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The cool evening air whipped its way through her hair as Beca Mitchell stuffed her hands into the pockets of her hoodie and left her front yard. It was April in Acadia Bay, and the Oregon evenings still got pretty cold. She didn't care though; all that she cared about right now was that she was finally going to get to see Firewalk live. The music, the crowd, the atmosphere; Beca lived for music; and live music was one of the best things in the world.

Her mom had called after her as she left the house; something about curfew and not being back too late. Beca didn't care about that either. She'd found out about this "secret" gig online last minute and there was no way in hell she was going to miss it. No good bands ever seemed to roll up to Acadia Bay; just one of the many reasons Beca was determined to get out of there as soon as she could. Acadia Bay didn't have anything to offer, and she felt like she didn't have anything else to give in return. She missed her best friend (who had left for greener, more northern pastures 2 years earlier) and most of all, she missed her dad. Beca Mitchell was done with this town. The people, the lack of anything to do, Barden Academy... The gig tonight was going to be a brief escape.

Firewalk were playing at the Old Mill; an abandoned building a bit outside of town where the only real way to get there was to follow the train tracks. Twigs crunched beneath her scuffed boots as the sky grew darker and the buildings became fewer. Acadia Bay was a quiet, lazy town situated along the Oregon coast and was surrounded by woodland and beautiful views. None of that really mattered to Beca though; not since she'd been unable to shake the numb feeling of loneliness that had seemed to grow and grow over the past couple of years. Maybe her longing to leave this town for good would slowly fade away if she had someone to enjoy it with.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket but she felt no need to check it. She knew it was either one of two people; her mom asking her when she was going to be home or her friend/kind-of-ex Jesse who seemed to text her every hour of every day. Beca and Jesse both enjoyed the same music and that was around about where Beca's interest in him came to an end. That, and he was probably one of the only guys in Acadia Bay that didn't make her want to immediately projectile vomit.

They had fooled around together in the past and there was no doubt that Jesse was definitely still into Beca. It had been fun at the time and it was a good way to "test the waters" as such. From now on though, she was determined to try to keep him out of her pants. The only problem was, he was the only one that ever seemed to talk to her or have time for her. She did enjoy talking to him at times, mostly jabbing fun at his nerdish ways or about music. She longed for something more than that though. She longed for _someone_ more.

Beca spent lunchtimes at Barden alone with her music blasting through her headphones and she could easily go a whole day without speaking to another student. She made an attempt to stay as hidden as possible, but her choice of dark eye make-up, multitude of ear piercings and her "don't talk to me" stare seemed to attract comments from people more than she'd like. Although she had the reputation of the "mute" at Barden, she made exceptions for calling people out on their bullshit, and she had no trouble sticking up for herself when the popular students made her feel like a freak; namely, queen bee Aubrey Posen and her followers Jessica and Ashley who worshipped the ground she walked on.

Beca tried not to think much of it though as she knew girls like Aubrey picked on other people for one reason only; everyone (including Aubrey) wanted to be Chloe Beale. Well, either be her or be **with** her. Chloe was beautiful, mysterious, and popular. She excelled in every class and above all, she was a genuinely nice human being who was kind to every single person. Not that she'd ever had a chance to be nice to Beca that is; Beca made sure to walk with her headphones in to avoid human interaction at any cost. Even if people were supposedly amazing and nice and friendly just like Chloe Beale, who's to say that one day they won't just abandon you? Or mistreat you? Or leave just like that? Just like her dad and her old best friend did...

Her feet began to ache as she walked along the train tracks and the sky above her was fully dark now, but she could finally see some lights and hear the low hums of a hard and fast punk bass line which made Beca's heart beat faster. She jogged forward and jumped over an old fence that definitely had some kind of "no trespassing" warning sign on it. She was finally there. There was a bonfire outside along with cars, bikes, and some rusty machinery. Two guys were fighting next to an RV and she heard glass smashing in the distance. Sketchy dudes hung around smoking outside and she saw a young drunk guy almost fall down the steps up to the mill.

"Shit..." Beca's heart sunk.

There was a bouncer by the door who had already seen her walking towards the place.

"Isn't it past your bedtime girl?" The towering bouncer called out to her and rolled his eyes.

"Bedtime? There's no bedtime when Firewalk are playing in my town. You've got to let me in, dude." Beca tried to play it as cool as she possibly could, but she had no idea how she was going to make this work since she wasn't 21 yet and she kind of looked like a teenage boy with long hair (Aubrey's words) at the best of times.

"Stop being cute and just split." The bouncer crossed his arms and sighed at her.

"I don't do cute." Being called cute was the last thing Beca needed right now; it added to her annoyance of not being able to see Firewalk. "I've been following this band for ages and I can handle myself. You're an idiot for wasting your time guarding this place instead of seeing the band."

"Look kid, I can't protect you in there. Anything happens to you? It's on me. I'm surprised the cops haven't turned up to shut it this thing down already." The bouncer took a drag from his cigarette.

"I don't need looking after," Beca started to square up to him; the situation right now probably looking ridiculous as the huge bouncer towered over her tiny self. "The only one that will need looking after is YOU if you don't let me in there, like... right now." She cringed at herself. Hard. But to her surprise, the bouncer stopped for a moment before laughing. Hard.

"For real? Oh man, that's the best thing I've heard all night." He stepped back. "You're alright kid. Go in. Knock yourself out... before you knock me out." He laughed and shook his head.

Beca couldn't believe her luck, but she wasn't about to question it any time soon. She sauntered past him, impressed with herself and more pumped than ever. The air inside was hazy from cigarette smoke and the smell of beer engulfed her nostrils. Taking a beer from the ice bucket in the corner, she eyed up the place and saw the entrance to where the band was playing. Just as she was about to walk through the door to the main room, she was knocked backwards by a drunk guy moshing and she fell into someone behind her holding a beer. It spilt all over him.

"Fuck..." Beca stepped back in surprise.

At first, the guy looked angry, looking at his friend and then back at Beca. He was tall, skinny, and stank of alcohol.

"Hey hey... looks like you bumped into me little lady." The two guys sneered at her.

"Yep. My bad dude."

"You don't know who I am, do you?" The skeevy guy blew cigarette smoke in her face.

"Nope. Don't care either." Beca pushed past them and away from the moshing crowd. She had a feeling it was best to get away from these guys ASAP, and it wasn't as if her short ass could see anything from the back of the crowd anyway.

"Let me know how that works out for you!" The mad dude with the beer called after her. She ignored him. "Bitch!"

She shrugged them off; there were more important matters at stake. She had a much better idea. She turned to walk up the wooden stairs in the corner of the building which led to the roof and rafters of the Old Mill above the crowd; she was about to get the best seat in the house. The previous song finished and the drum roll began of her favourite Firewalk song ever. She ran forward to the edge of the rotting floorboards on the top floor and looked down below at the stage. Lights flashed and the amplifiers were set to full; Beca was in heaven. She hung her legs over the edge and nodded her head to the music; letting it fill her ears and her veins with everything she loved. Beca cracked open the beer and savoured the taste as the cold liquid ran down her throat. She leant back and lay down to take it in the music fully. She closed her eyes.

"You spilled my beer, bitch."

Beca frowned, seeing the two guys from downstairs standing over her demonically. Was this dude for real? There was no way her Firewalk experience was going to be interrupted for this. He followed her up here to start on her AGAIN about his stupid beer?

"You should be more careful, it's a rough place." Beca got up and crossed her arms at him. There was no way she had time for assholes like this. Not tonight.

"I don't like your attitude." The gross guy squared up to Beca, looking down at her.

"You don't like my attitude?" Beca questioned him. "Then why don't I show you how much it pisses me off when assholes like you get butthurt over a spilled beer..."

His friend nudged him. "I think she's calling you out, dude."

"She's going to regret this. Every. Word." He squared up closer to Beca, pointing in her face. "I'm going to teach this little punk some manners."

Beca started to panic; realising that behind her was the edge of the old wooden floorboards from where the top floor had fallen in. If he kept going, she'd fall down from quite a height and she could really do with that like, NOT happening right now. Her heart raced.

"I'm serious man." Beca panicked. "I really don't wanna get angry. It won't be pretty either... it won't..." She backed up further, glancing behind her; very aware of how quickly the ledge was approaching.

He lifted his beer bottle and smashed it on the pillar in front of her.

Her breath hitched.

He grabbed her arm.

He held the razor-sharp broken bottle in front of her.

" **Hey!** Dickhead!"

The guy looked behind at the unknown voice who had shouted at him. He was distracted and now was Beca's chance. She remembered the beer she'd been drinking was still in her hand, and strengthened her grip around it. Taking a deep breath, she swung it hard enough to knock it to his head and for him to let go of her arm. He fell to the floor. Before she could run, his friend swung a punch at her and got her right in the eye. Pain seared to her face but she didn't care. She ran for it, covering her eye and bumping into the voice which had caused the distraction in the first place.

Beca uncovered her eye to look at her saviour. Bright blue eyes were looking right back at her with concern; her eye make-up fierce and her red hair tied up into a quiff and high ponytail. She was wearing almost all black, except for a single bright blue feather earring in her left ear which matched her eyes uncannily. Her jacket was killer, with amazing boots to match. That's when Beca realised.

"Chloe?!" Beca took a step back, trying to process the whole situation.

Chloe looked at Beca then back at the guys. The dude Beca had knocked to the floor had started to get up.

"Come on!" Chloe grabbed Beca's hand and began leading her down the steps. Chloe blew a sarcastic kiss to the guys who started on Beca, pulling her away with force. Beca also kissed her hand; giving them the middle finger instead of blowing a kiss.

What was happening right now? Was this real? Her heart was pounding and she could feel the adrenaline pumping through her veins. Had Beca actually been knocked out by the skeevy dude earlier? Did she have a concussion? Was Chloe Beale actually at a Firewalk concert? Was she really being saved and swept away by her right now?

Before she knew it, she was downstairs in the mill and being led through the crowd by Chloe; their hands entwined. Beca didn't have the words or the time to process the whole situation, but she didn't feel like she needed to. All she knew was that Chloe, the most popular, beautiful, intelligent student at Barden (and probably in the whole of Acadia Bay from the way people talked about her) had saved her ass and was holding on tightly to her hand. Chloe manoeuvred in and out of people in the crowd, finally stopping and pulling Beca forwards when she was right at the very front. The band were right there in front of them on stage; heavy and loud music filled her ears and the buzz was so intense that it was almost overwhelming. She looked at Chloe who was jumping up and down and shouting the lyrics; Beca followed suit.

She couldn't take her eyes off her.


	2. He knew me best

**A/N: Thanks so much for the follows/reviews/faves/warm welcome! I am loving writing this fic, I apologise in advance for the slow burn. I've uploaded both Chapters 2 and 3 tonight to make up for it...**

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 **Chapter 2: _You didn't know me, but he knew me best_**

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Warm, hazy morning sun poured in through her bedroom window as Beca stirred out of her sleep. 7:12. Shit. She'd missed the bus to Barden Academy and she knew she was going to face the consequences, especially on top of being out so late past curfew last night. Beca blinked and struggled to open her eyes as the harsh orange rays blanketed her face. She pushed herself off the mattress with her elbows; wincing slightly as she began to recognise a dull ache in her head which hinted she may have had one too many beers last night, as well as the pain from what was definitely a black eye. She looked to the left of her bed and to her bedside table which bore the same old photograph she saw every day. One of her, her dad, and her old best friend from a camping trip they all went on 4 summers ago; back when everything was okay and nothing hurt.

"Another day in paradise..." She sighed.

Beca moved to sit at the end of her bed, recollecting her thoughts and remembering last night. She had finally got to see Firewalk live, somehow managed to get in a fight with some skeevy, drunken idiots and most importantly, that... girl... was that really Chloe Beale? She moved to the edge of her bed and sniffed her t-shirt, grimacing at the smell of old cigarettes and beer. Getting out of bed was slightly easier this morning thanks to the incredible night she had last night. Chloe and her had danced and shouted the lyrics to Firewalk all night and she didn't make it back home until almost 2am. The music was loud and the beers seemed to flow; she and Chloe didn't actually get to say much to each other at all over the music. They didn't need to, and Beca was so entranced by everything that was going on around her... The whole thing was a blur. The band had finished. Chloe had yelled, "see you at Barden!" She'd disappeared off into the night.

"Beca! Are you up yet? It's getting late!" She heard her mom call her from downstairs.

Beca shook Chloe and last night from her head and mustered up the energy to leave her bed and walk across the floor to her chest of drawers. Clothes, CD's and music magazines littered her bedroom floor and different posters were plastered across all of her walls. She changed into some clean clothes; mentally scolding herself for not waking up in time to take a shower. She rummaged around for her phone and found it on her floor under the hoodie she wore last night. Beca picked it up and saw she had multiple notifications. There were four texts from her mom; asking her where she was and that there would be consequences for staying out past curfew. Beca scrolled down through her phone.

"What the hell...?"

 _Chloe tagged you in a photo_

Her heart skipped a beat. Beca was not a fan of social media and only really used it to keep up with the latest music news and band tour dates. Apart from messages and random things Jesse sent her, her online presence was minimal.

Clicking on the notification, she was sure enough taken to a selfie Chloe had taken of the two of them at the Firewalk show last night. Chloe, as expected, looked breathtaking and Beca actually looked... Happy? Ecstatic? Drunk? All of the above? It was definitely a rare sight.

The caption simply read as _"Firewalk!"_

Beca gulped, realising the amount of comments and likes on the photo Chloe had uploaded.

 _Bumper: Jealous!_

 _Aubrey: You look hot!_

 _Jessica: So fun! Kisses!_

 _Emily: GLAM! GET IT GIRRRL_

 _Flo: Sexy mama! :-* :-*_

 _Stacie: Dayummm girl you look smokin'. Who's the arm candy?_

 _Donald: Isn't that Becky something? Becky Michaels I think?_

 _Bumper: Who's Becky Michaels?_

 _Donald: With Chloe in the picture_

 _Ashley: Ughh Chlo, yr so gorgeous. I hate you xoxo_

 _Bumper: Never heard of a Becky Michaels before_

 _Jesse: dude, that's beca mitchell. she's literally tagged in the picture and goes to barden with us! lookin good Becs ;) can't believe u saw firewalk without me_

 _Lilly: I walked on fire once_

 _Aubrey: Jessica, wasn't Chloe invited to your sleepover last night? I wondered where she was... Now we know._

 _Cynthia-Rose: BURNNNN_

 _Aubrey: Oh no, I didn't mean it like that! The sleepover was still sooooo fun! You better not bail out on us next time Chlo. Love ya! 3_

 _Amy: Real intelligent conversation guys_

Beca rolled her eyes. She had put a great deal of time and effort into making sure she got through Barden being as invisible as possible. Being photographed at a punk show with the most popular girl at Barden was highly detrimental to that. Still, Chloe Beale had rescued her from what could have been a very bad situation and spending the night dancing and seeing Firewalk with the most beautiful and popular girl at school _definitely_ hadn't sucked; Quite the opposite, in fact.

" **Beca!** Are you coming downstairs? We need to talk."

The sound of her mom calling for her a second time made her shake her head again to get rid of her thoughts. What she'd give to rewind and relive it all over again. Maybe then she could actually speak to Chloe properly and thank her for saving her rather than being a mesmerized dork; both by Firewalk and the fact that she was hanging out with Chloe freaking Beale.

She reluctantly sloped downstairs; knowing all too well that she was going to be in deep shit. She reached the kitchen and leant in the doorway. Her mom was frying bacon; meaning she was definitely making breakfast for her boyfriend David, who had been spending a little _too_ much time at their house lately. Beca detested him with her entire being, and David wasn't too fond of her either.

"Beca! What on earth happened to you?! Your eye..." Beca's mom stopped what she was doing as soon as she saw Beca and her black eye standing in the doorway.

"It's nothing mom... I uhh... I bumped into a door."

Her mom sighed. She could see right through Beca and it pained her to know she wasn't going to get the truth out of her right now.

"You didn't reply to my texts last night. When I text you asking you what time you'll be home, I expect you to answer, Beca." Her mom took an exasperated sigh, "I was worried about you."

Beca folded her arms across her chest. "I'm sure you were too busy cuddled up to your boyfriend to worry about me. He's been spending way too much time here, by the way."

"You need to stop worrying so much about him and start doing better Beca. For me. I know what time you came home last night." Beca felt a pang of guilt and made a mental note to be more quiet when coming back home late in the future. She yawned.

"...and you wouldn't be yawning if you hadn't stayed out past curfew. Don't think you get the day off today just because you missed the bus." Her mom rested her hands on the counter. "Your Principal calls me when you skip classes Beca. I can't keep lying for you and saying you're sick just to make sure you don't get kicked out of Barden Academy." Beca's mom paused for a moment; her face and voice changing. "I'm... I'm worried about you Beca. I can see you slipping and I don't know what else to do."

"Mom... You don't need to worry." Beca grabbed an apple from the bowl on the side and took a bite. "The whole point in lowering your expectations is to stop you from being disappointed in the future."

Beca's mom looked at the ceiling helplessly. "You're on a _scholarship_ , Beca. Do you know how lucky you are? I could never have been able to afford sending you there without it. You can't waste this opportunity Beca. What would your father say..."

Beca was shocked and felt her stomach turn. "...what would dad say?! What would dad say if he knew you'd already moved on and were dating the biggest douchebag in all of Acadia Bay?!"

"That is so unfair Beca. The past couple of years have been hard for me too..."

Beca looked to the ground and scoffed. "Your boyfriend seems to have helped a lot with that."

Her mom looked hurt and Beca almost instantly regretted her words. "No one can replace your father, Beca. I did the best I could. David... He's a good man. You just need to give him a chance. Please Beca."

Beca signed deeply and ran a hand through her hair. As much as she hated David, her mom was trying her best. "Mom... I know you're dealing with a lot. I'll uh... I'll try to do better. Really."

"That means a lot to me, Beca. I know you're older now and might not need me as much but... I need you."

"I... I do need you. I always will. You're my mom." Beca felt like she had given her mom a hard enough time recently and it was true. They needed each other. The least Beca could do right now was appreciate her mom for trying and for worrying about her.

"The world's not out to get you, Beca. Even if it feels like it. I love you, okay?" Her mom turned back to cooking.

"I love you too, mom." This was probably the most successful mother/daughter conversation they had had in a long time. Unfortunately, the moment was ruined swiftly for Beca upon hearing her mom's boyfriend enter in through the front door.

"Come on girly. Get to." He grabbed his car keys from the table next to the door and gave Beca a stern look. Beca looked at him; he simply pointed out the front door as a signal for her to get moving.

Mentally preparing herself, she sighed and rolled her eyes. "Please just... Don't ever call me that. Like, ever."

* * *

Beca sat in the passenger seat and scrolled through her iPod looking for a playlist to fit her mood. She reached for her headphones just as David interrupted.

"Can you not put those things on right now? I need to talk to you." He put the keys in the ignition and started the car.

"Crap..." Beca muttered. "Just smile and nod, Beca. Just smile and nod..."

"You've had enough of a vacation from not having a father figure around Beca." Beca tried her hardest to keep her cool. "We don't have to like each other, but I need you to respect me. I am trying my best for your mother and you need to as well. You're breaking her heart."

Beca was holding back her feelings as best as she could. She had _sort of_ managed to patch things up with her mom and the whole situation was draining her emotionally. She held her breath as he lectured her the whole way to Barden Academy; nodding in agreement and apologising absentmindedly to what he was saying. After what felt like a decade, they pulled up to the school parking lot just as Beca had started to doze off in the car; she really needed more sleep.

"Out of the car Beca. You're going to be late." Beca awoke abruptly.

"Shit... Thanks for the ride." Beca scrambled out of the car and thanked him.

"You can drop the sarcastic tone as well." He pulled the car away and turned it round, leaving Beca alone at the entrance to Barden.

"I was... actually saying thanks." Beca gave him middle finger as his car faded from view. She turned around and walked through the gates to Barden Academy.

"BeCAW!" A familiar voice shouted from behind her.

"Oh. Hey, Jesse," Beca was very conscious of the time right now, and could do with not being late to class and having another lecture on what a terrible human being she was.

"Jeez Beca, what happened to your eye? Heard you had one hell of a night. Everyone's talking about it." Beca panicked a little. She really should have protested when Chloe went to take a selfie of them with her phone. "I didn't even know you and Chloe hung out..."

"People can talk about it all they want, but they won't be able to ruin how awesome last night was." Beca paused, "I mean... I saw FIREWALK, dude."

"Yeah... I wish you'd told me about it. Like, I would really have loved to come with." Beca sensed the jealousy in his voice and knew that she should probably feel a little bad. After all, they had been to a lot of gigs together in the past and they both liked the same types of music. If he had been there though... She and Chloe might never have got to hang out. Not that that matters, of course. No big deal...

"Anyway, you seen the posters?" Jesse pointed to the billboard nearby. "They're doing a play of The Tempest. I say we go and make fun of Barden at its most pretentious. Do you wanna go together?"

Beca couldn't really think of anything worse than spending an evening watching all of the drama geeks at Barden perform Shakespeare, especially when thinking of what her previous night had been spent doing. She also knew from the tone of his voice that Jesse was kind of hoping for a date. Beca laughed. "I think I'm gonna pass, dude. I mean it's not that I don't wanna go, I just... I think I'd rather gouge my eyes out."

Jesse laughed back awkwardly, obviously a little hurt from the rejection. "Haha, yeah you're totally right. I don't know what I was thinking. It sounds super lame..."

"It's okay, Jesse. I know you secretly wish you were part of the drama group." It was true, she knew he tried hard to play it cool but secretly would love to both sing and act on stage with all of them. "I won't judge, dude."

"So, can I at least hope you'll come watch me next time when I'm in the lead role?" Jesse took a bow to reaffirm his goal. "That's if I can ever steal the crown from Chloe Beale."

"Wait..." Beca paused. "Chloe is playing the lead in The Tempest?" Now it was her turn to try and play it cool. Sure enough, the poster Jesse had originally pointed to showed Chloe as playing the lead role of Prospera.

"Changed your mind about going already?" Jesse winked, making Beca feel slightly nauseas.

Beca probably took a second too long to answer. "Hell no." She turned on her heels to head inside. "Catch you later, Broadway."

Jesse laughed and sighed as he watched Beca walk up the path to Barden.


	3. In trouble at school

**Chapter 3:** ** _In trouble at school, alone at lunch again  
_**

* * *

Beca's phone buzzed in her pocket. She prayed it wasn't more social media mentions or people questioning what the hell the weird quiet alt girl was doing in a photo with Chloe Beale. She checked her phone, breathing a slight sigh of relief.

 ** _Yo, is this Beca? It's Cynthia-Rose_**

 _Yep it is. How's it going?_

 _ **I've got the Blade Runner DVD you asked for last week in Chem. You at Barden yet?**_

 _Sweet. I'll come collect it. Where you at?_

 _ **i'm at the picnic tables with Benji**_

 _Be there in a sec_

Just as she turned to walk the other way to meet Cynthia-Rose to collect the DVD, she hadn't been paying enough attention and accidentally walked right into the people she was hoping to avoid the most today.

Aubrey Posen initially looked shocked and disgusted at the encounter. Then her face changed entirely. "Becky Mitchell!"

"Uhh... It's Beca..."

"Of course." Aubrey flicked her hair over her shoulders. "I should really have known that after seeing you tagged in that picture with Chloe Beale. Cute selfie!" Beca cringed. "It looks like the two of you had the time of your lives! Do tell."

Her minions, Jessica and Ashley, looked at each other and giggled either side of her. Beca felt uneasy.

"Oh you know..." Beca played along, "It was just a normal night for us. Some music, some dancing... We beat up some guys and I hit a dude in the head with a beer bottle..."

"Ha! You are sooo funny Becky Mitchell. Seriously, I never knew you and Chloe Beale were such BFFs-"

Beca interrupted, keen to shut this down. "-We're... Really not at all-"

"So do you guys like, do drugs and listen to your hardcore music together? I mean, if she's hanging out with you she must be into some messed up stuff." Aubrey eyed Jessica and Ashley, they all sneered and Beca wished she had that beer bottle from last night back in her hand.

"Why do you care so much about me and Chloe?" Beca really hoped the rest of her day wasn't going to be like this. She'd already reached her maximum capacity for human interaction for the day.

"Oh, it's not just me that cares about Chloe. Everybody loves her. I'm sure you can relate. She's Little Miss Perfect, right?" Aubrey flashed Beca a smile that she instantly saw as fake.

Beca was all too used to girls like this. "I get it now. You're jealous of Chloe Beale. Gotcha."

Aubrey was taken aback; Jessica and Ashley looking a little uncertain. "UGH. Um, no? Get your head out of your ass, Becky Mitchell." Aubrey started to walk off, her posse in tow. "I was just curious as to **why** Chloe Beale would ever hang out with a weird little freak like you." Her minions seemed happy with Aubrey's retaliation and giggled in unison before disappearing through the main doors to Barden.

"It's Beca..." Beca muttered back at them under her breath.

"Yo! Beca!" A friendlier voice called her over to the picnic tables; Cynthia-Rose waving a DVD in her hand and Benji waving at her too.

"What's up, nerds?" Beca joined them at the table before sitting atop of it; her feet resting on the bench next to where Cynthia-Rose was sitting. They were playing a game of Dungeons and Dragons.

"Hey, don't judge girl." Cynthia-Rose said, obviously offended from the nerd association. "This thing takes some mad skill."

"I'm sure..." Beca tried not to poke fun as she saw Benji examining the game with intense concentration.

"One Blade Runner DVD coming up. You're gonna love it." Cynthia-Rose handed Beca the DVD. "And Pris is super hot." Cynthia-Rose winked at Beca.

"Thanks, I'll um...bear that in mind?" Beca laughed awkwardly. "5 bucks was it?"

"Don't sweat it Beca, you got good taste. This one's on the house." Beca was taken aback from the friendly interaction. Not only was it the complete opposite to the previous one with Aubrey and her groupies, she never usually interacts with this many students in a whole day, never mind before classes have even started.

"Gee. Uhh. Thanks dude, I appreciate it."

"Hey Beca, do you um..." Cynthia-Rose shifted a little in her seat, "Do you know if Chloe is into games like D&D?"

Beca stammered. She guessed this was how the rest of her day was going to go. She really should have seen it coming; everyone at Barden was placed on some level of the "Chloe Beale appreciation" scale, from between being intrigued by her to absolutely infatuated. The whole of Barden was bound to have seen that picture and wondered why the hell Chloe Beale was hanging out with Beca Mitchell.

"Chloe Beale? Why are you asking me?" Beca attempted to play dumb.

"You two went out last night, right?" Cynthia-Rose paused and looked at Benji for some clarification, "Oh wait, was it like a... friend thing?"

Beca shifted on the spot and instinctively felt defensive. "I... What? Like, um. Why do you wanna know?"

"Cynthia-Rose has a cruuuuush," Benji teased, and immediately hid behind the lid of the D&D box; knowing that he'd let Cynthia-Rose's secret out.

Cynthia-Rose threw the D&D book at him and he yelped as it got him on the shoulder. "Anyway." She looked back to Beca. "Don't worry about it. Let me know what you think of Blade Runner."

"Thanks, I better get to class." Beca eyed Cynthia-Rose mouthing to Benji that he was definitely going to pay for letting her crush on Chloe slip. "Hope you win!"

"Actually Beca," Benji piped up, "You don't really 'win' as such, it's more of a skills-based, table top campaign where you really need to work together and plan-" Cynthia-Rose kicked him under the table. "I mean, thanks Beca!"

Beca waved a goodbye to of them and racked her brains. She hoped the whole "night out with Chloe Beale" thing would blow over soon; it's not like anything even really happened and they barely even _spoke_ to each other. The most popular girl in school Chloe Beale just happened to be her guardian angel and saved her from a fight that could have ended _very_ badly, took her by the hand, and danced with her all night whilst watching Firewalk live. No biggie. She could easily see why everyone fawned over her so much though; her clothes, her hair, and those goddamn _eyes_ that had looked at her with bright blue panic when she saved her. Beca had tried her hardest all night to keep her cool and-

Yet again, Beca had been lost in thought, not looked where she was going and had almost collided with someone else. She'd gone to push the bar of the school entrance doors and someone else had been coming out of them at the same time; a blur of red hair and bright blue eyes.

Chloe.

Her face lit up at the sight of Beca. "Oh, good! You're here."

Beca looked to Chloe and was a little taken aback by what she was wearing. The all black, punk getup with tied up hair and awesome boots was long gone and she was barefoot in a purple one piece; the bottom half consisting of tight purple ripped leggings and the top half wrapped around her tightly with puffed out purple and red sleeves. The single bright blue feather earring was still present in her left ear, however. It took a moment for Beca to click; Drama club rehearsal. Before she knew it, Beca was being led by the hand by none other than Chloe Beale. **Again.** Sadly this time, it was just through the school corridors rather than a Firewalk gig, but Beca could settle for that. Who wouldn't?

She guessed that this really _was_ how the rest of her day was going to go.

* * *

Chloe led her down and around the halls until they finally came to an open classroom. A sign next to the door read "Drama Club" with the two tragedy/comedy masks hand-drawn underneath. Beca followed Chloe into the classroom cautiously. What the hell was Beca Mitchell doing in a drama rehearsal? Inside two students, Stacie and Donald, were reciting their lines to each other for The Tempest; the play which Jesse had invited her to and she had scoffed at merely moments before. After the drama teacher, Mr. Dean, had finished giving both of them feedback (Stacie had aced it and Donald had been told to apologise... To himself), Chloe chimed in.

"Sorry to interrupt, Mr. Dean." She sauntered into the classroom. Beca waited behind her in the doorway with nervous caution. "Does my costume look better now? My mom adjusted it a bit."

Beca watched her from behind as Chloe presented her newly altered costume for the play; it accented all her curves in all the right places and the purple contrasted strikingly against her red hair. Beca knew she was starring but couldn't tear herself away. As if telepathically, Chloe did a slow turn on the spot in order to show her teacher as well as Stacie and Donald both the front and back of the costume. Whilst she did so, and whilst twisting to show them the back of her outfit, she looked Beca directly in the eye. Her cerulean stare almost feeling like it slowed time, before Chloe winked at her seductively. Beca could swear she felt her stomach plummet to her feet immediately.

"Meowwww Chlo, you look absolutely killer," Stacie approved and nodded her head whilst checking her out.

Donald agreed with Stacie. "Damn. Very cool."

"Chloe!" Mr. Dean's arms flailed as his face filled with pride, "Absolutely exquisite Chloe, as always."

Beca felt glad she wasn't the only one completely in awe of Chloe; it stopped her from feeling like a complete creeper. She was the only one that Chloe had _winked_ at however, and it made both her heart and mind want to race at 100 miles a minute. She was also very cautious and wary of the fact that she could come across like every other fawning student who longed, drooled and cooed over Chloe Beale. She definitely didn't want to be _that_ student.

"Mr. Dean, I have some questions about my lines," Beca's thought train was interrupted as Stacie spoke. "Like, why does Miranda say, 'I have no ambition to see a goodlier man,' right after Donald's character Ferdinand has been a dick to me? I don't get it."

"It's true," Donald nodded with a smug look on his face, "Ferdinand went out and got with all the ladies."

Chloe nodded in agreement with them both and paused; her index finger touching her lips in thought. "You're right Stace. We've all been wondering about that line for a while, Mr. Dean." Chloe turned on her heels and began walking straight towards Beca who shifted awkwardly. She looked behind her to make sure Chloe wasn't talking to someone else by mistake. "Why don't we get a new perspective?" Before she could process it, Chloe had wrapped an arm around her waist and was pulling her into the classroom with her. Beca's body tensed up at the contact; awkwardly walking forwards without any real control over her feet. "What do you think, Beca?" She gulped. "Is Miranda just inexperienced and caught up in the feelings of an instant passion for Ferdinand? Or..." Chloe stopped walking Beca forwards and looked Beca up and down as if she were studying her; taking in the details and observing her reactions. It made Beca almost feel stripped down and naked. "...or has she just met the love of her life?" Chloe crossed her arms, awaiting Beca's answer with intrigue. "What do you think?"

"I guess... Uhh..." Beca cleared her throat and looked at Chloe's face, trying to suss out what she was getting at. Was she genuinely interested in Beca's opinion on _Shakespeare_ right now?! Or was there something more to her question? Chloe's eyes felt like they burned right through her, as if they could read her mind no matter what answer she was going to give. "I think sometimes... Sometimes when you meet someone who's going to change your life, you just know it, I guess..." Beca trailed off, hoping that her answer was satisfactory so she wouldn't have to give her opinions on Shakespeare to a room of 3 drama geeks any more.

Chloe was smiling at her intently; hanging on to every word she had said. She could have sworn that Chloe's eyes had shifted from her eyes, then down to her mouth, and back to her eyes slowly. Beca looked back at her, noticing that one side of her smile was curled up more than the other; there was something mischievous about it that Beca couldn't work out. Beca shook herself out of it quickly, realising that all eyes in the room were still on her. "That, and you've got loads of people coming to see the show. It's got to be true love for 15 bucks a ticket, right?"

Stacie laughed. "You're a romantic and a cynic I see." She pondered for a moment, "That actually helped. Thanks!"

Outside in the corridor, the morning bell rang signifying the fact that classes were about to start. Stacie and Donald both left for first period, as Mr. Dean packed away the rehearsal notes for The Tempest into his briefcase and left for his first class of the day. Beca and Chloe were alone in the drama club room. Beca realised that this was the first time she'd ever been alone in a room with Chloe Beale, and the air around them immediately felt heavier. Chloe walked into the room further, turning to face Beca. She folded her arms across her chest and looked Beca up and down, regarding her. Beca awkwardly shifted her weight from her right to her left foot. "Um..." She wasn't too sure what to say, or why she was still here.

"I won't be a minute." Chloe skipped off into the drama club dressing room in the corner of the classroom.

"Oh... kay..." Beca mentally kicked herself for sounding so dorky and awkward. Why was she like this? "Play it cool Beca, you should probably really get to Chem class but Chloe told you to wait. **Chloe Beale** wants you to wait for her, so you better do just that."

Chloe disappeared into the dressing rooms but called out to Beca shortly after. "Hey, could you grab my belt for me? It should be in my bag."

"Uh... Yeah... Sure." Beca spun on the spot; studying the room to find Chloe's bag. She caught sight of a small black backpack on one of the seats; there was small sewn on ladybug patch on one pocket as well as a tiny skull and crossbones pin immediately next to it. Beca smiled. She never thought Chloe Beale would be into Firewalk or her kind of music, but she knew the tiny little pin was definitely homage to her more "alternative" side. She wondered how many people knew about that side of her. Beca muttered her thoughts aloud to herself. "Right Beca. Get the belt. Don't say anything dumb. Don't fall down. Don't forget how to speak. Totally doable."

She unzipped Chloe's bag and searched inside, grabbing Chloe's blue belt. As she pulled it out of the bag, a photo felt out with it. Kneeling down to pick it up, Beca examined it and smiled even more. It was an old, crumpled photo of a much younger Chloe in a forest with who she assumed was her dad. "She looks so happy..." Beca melted a little at the biggest grin that was spread on young Chloe's face; thinking back to her own photo of her and her dad which she kept next to her bed. She was interrupted from her thoughts as Chloe called out to her from the dressing room.

"Any luck with my belt?"

Beca snapped out of it quickly, realising that she had been daydreaming a lot more than usual in the past 12 or so hours. She walked cautiously inside the dressing room. It was a dark room with no windows, but fairy lights were strung around each of the mirrors at the dressing tables, giving the room a warm and cosy glow. There was a screen in the corner where she could hear Chloe rustling. "Uh... Chloe? Is this your belt?" She asked from a distance, wanting to be sure she wasn't creeping any more than she probably already had done today.

Chloe peered her head around the corner to see. "Yes, that's the one! Thank you." She went back behind the screen.

Beca looked behind to check if anyone was around and wondered what the hell she was actually supposed to do now. Did Chloe just expect her to walk on in whilst she was changing and hand her the belt? Or could she do the ultimate awkwardly uncertain thing of throwing it over the top? Beca was pretty sure Chloe wouldn't be completely naked, but knowing Beca, she would mess things up either way. She walked slowly forwards until Chloe was in her line of sight. Chloe had her back to Beca and was bending over adjusting the bottom of her jeans. Her long red curls bounced below her shoulders and revealed a sky blue coloured bra; she was topless. Beca dropped her eyes and fastened her grip on the belt she was holding out of nervousness. She was very aware of how much time seemed to be passing so she tried to catch some words from her racing brain. If anything she had done so far was considered creeping, this definitely topped them all.

"I uh... I really liked your costume." Beca's voice behind her made Chloe spin around quickly in double time. She didn't look shocked, thankfully. More... Surprised? Maybe even _pleasantly_ surprised that Beca had actually come into where she was changing? Beca thought for a moment that this almost felt like a test; a test from Chloe to see where they stood with each other and what kind of person Beca was. Chloe smiled at her, not shy of her body at all. And she had every reason to be confident about it.

"Thanks." Chloe tilted her head slightly, with a curious look on her face. Beca made every effort to make sure her eyes didn't wander down Chloe's topless body, and tried to ensure they stayed firmly fixed on her face. Although she had a bra on, Chloe had started turning around more so instead of being side on, Beca was definitely about to get more of a full view. "So... Did you bring flowers to my dressing room, Beca Mitchell?"

Beca smiled anxiously, shrugging empty handed then twiddling with Chloe's belt. "Um... I guess I owe you?"

Chloe looked her up and down. Beca mentally noted that this was something that Chloe seemed to do a lot. "I'll hold you to that."


	4. Catching trains

**Chapter 4: " _Skipping school and catching trains"_**

* * *

"I'll hold you to that."

Beca could have sworn she noticed something about Chloe's eyes change as soon as she said that. Beca immediately felt self-conscious, despite the fact that it was _Chloe_ who was the one standing in front of her with just her bra and jeans on in the dressing room. Chloe held out her hand, signifying for Beca to pass the belt. Beca complied, and averted her eyes away from Chloe and looked towards the reflection in the mirror of the changing room. Whilst Chloe began threading the belt through the loopholes in her jeans, she caught Beca's eye in the reflection and raised an eyebrow at her, instantly reminding Beca that she was probably definitely crossing Chloe's boundaries right now.

"I'll um... Let you finish changing now." Beca quickly swivelled around 180 degrees to give Chloe some privacy, wandering away from where she was getting dressed. She was almost certain she could feel Chloe's eyes fixed on her until she was out of sight again. She pretended to preoccupy herself with looking through the different costumes hung up in the Drama Club dressing room. "Real smooth, Mitchell," she quietly scolded herself for acting like such a dork.

"So..." Chloe had finished changing and had emerged from behind the screen. She was now dressed the way Beca had often seen her from afar at Barden; skinny black jeans with rips at the knees (which looked more trendy rather than the scruffy look Beca tended to go for) and she was wearing a dark red vest top underneath a blue plaid shirt. It was definitely slightly grungy, but all her clothes fit her body so well and accentuated her curves in all the right places. Her long red waves of hair complimented the blue so well, and Beca made a mental note of how much blue seemed to be associated with Chloe; her single feather earring that hung from her left ear, her shirt, and her goddamn _eyes_ , "...Beca Mitchell."

"Chloe Beale?" Beca greeted Chloe's statement inquisitively.

Chloe walked up to her and folded her arms. "Last night was _amazing_."

Beca realised that this was it; Their first proper conversation. Hopefully she wouldn't screw this up. "It was the first time I'd seen Firewalk live. It was a fierce show for sure."

"We'll _have_ to do it again," Chloe smiled and tucked a few stray strands of red hair behind her ear, exposing her single blue feather earring. "To tell the truth," she fiddled with the sleeve of her shirt, "I went to bed last night wishing it never had to end." Chloe looked to Beca who smiled back and took a gulp. She still couldn't really believe this was really happening. Did Chloe Beale really just say she wished the night she spent with Beca had lasted forever? The most popular girl in school with the school delinquent? Beca could feel some slightly inappropriate thoughts coming into her mind and mentally swatted them away. Chloe continued. "Whilst I lay in bed last night I kinda thought... Why? Why does it have to end?"

Beca felt her response come out almost automatically. "Maybe it doesn't. Maybe it doesn't have to end."

"Exactly!" Chloe was evidently pleased with Beca's response, "How would you like to join me on a little field trip today?"

"Ditch class?" Beca was definitely a little surprised. Chloe was a stellar student with straight A's across the board. Still, skipping class was something Beca did on a regular occasion and the thought of Chloe being her partner in crime was appealing. She raised an eyebrow at Chloe, "You mean it?"

"Is that weird?" Chloe hesitated a little, a slight look of disappointment evident in her eyes.

Beca was quick to reaffirm that she was never one to say no to ditching class, "No, it's... Awesome."

"I was hoping you'd say that," Chloe's smile had returned, "Now about that eye..."

Chloe's reminder made Beca conscious of the pain again. "It hurts like a bitch."

"It's definitely one hell of a battle scar," Chloe inspected Beca's black eye with pride and Beca could feel herself beginning to blush, "Do you want me to cover it up with some make-up?"

Beca remembered the panic on her mom's face and Jesse's questions about last night, "Yes, _please_. People won't shut up about it."

Chloe led Beca over to one of the Drama Club dressing tables, where there were various items of different face paints and make-up laid out in preparation for the drama rehearsals and the play of The Tempest that was coming up. Chloe picked up one of the bottles of foundation and Beca watched as Chloe rubbed some in her hands. The spotlights and fairy lights around the mirrors illuminated Chloe's eyes as Chloe turned around again to face Beca. She started lifting up her hand to apply the make-up to Beca's face; Beca flinching instinctively before Chloe had even touched her.

"Hold still," Chloe giggled slightly as Beca flinched again and mentally prepared herself for the pain that her eye was about to give her. "And turn your head," Chloe instructed firmly and Beca complied.

Beca turned her head whilst she felt Chloe's hand make contact with her skin. Long, slender fingers masked up the bruise around Beca's eye with skill and all her anxiety of the pain faded away as Beca realised how soft Chloe's hands were. Beca reached up to touch the area Chloe was working on and looked at the foundation on her fingers. "This is _a lot_ of make-up," she protested.

"That's the price of courageousness, Beca Mitchell," Chloe picked up some powder and a make-up sponge off the table, "Now, close your eyes."

She did as she was told, and tried her very hardest not to blush or pull away as she felt Chloe's warm breath on her cheek whilst she dabbed Beca's black eye carefully with the sponge. Her heart was beating faster than it normally would and she wasn't sure why; she just hoped that it wasn't also beating loud enough for Chloe to hear. She thought for a second about opening her eyes, knowing full well that she would be met with ice blue eyes staring straight back into hers. There was something about the various looks that Chloe had given her in the past 24 hours; from panic, to concern, to pride, to happiness, to lingering looks Beca couldn't quite understand. There was something about them that made Beca long for them, and for the moment she was going to blame it on the fact that she wasn't used to pretty, popular, friendly people giving her the time of day. That must definitely be it. For now, she kept her eyes closed.

"Much better," Chloe withdrew her hand and Beca missed the soothing touch almost immediately. Opening her eyes, she looked at the reflection of her and Chloe in the mirror in front of them. Chloe put her hands on her hips, admiring her handiwork.

Beca had to do a double-take in the mirror. Her black-eye was nowhere to be seen, "Holy shit."

"Right?" Chloe grinned, pleased with herself at Beca's response. She touched the back of Beca's arm, surprising Beca and making her jump slightly. "Now, let's get the hell out of here."

* * *

Beca and Chloe had made it off of campus unnoticed. Considering that the bell for first period had sounded long before they had left and whilst they were still in the drama club room, their getaway was quiet thanks to the students and teachers of Barden already being inside their classrooms. Beca hadn't yet asked Chloe where exactly they were headed; Chloe was on a mission and Beca was more than up for the adventure. Chloe had led them straight up through the woodland path that began about a 5 minute walk from Barden Academy. The morning air was much warmer than it had been whilst Beca had been walking to the Firewalk concert last night; the sky was bright blue above them and the coastal breeze of Acadia Bay moved gently through the tall pine trees.

Neither of them had said anything to each other since leaving campus but it had taken a while for Beca to realise it; she hadn't noticed how _comfortable_ the silence between them had been. She had noticed Chloe had seemed a bit lost in thought for the duration of their short walk, but she didn't want to pry too early on. They rounded a corner and passed the old water tower. They were heading towards the same train tracks Beca had walked along just last night to head to the Firewalk gig. Chloe came to a stop and looked down the tracks. An approaching freight train slowly rounded the corner and began to pass in front of them.

Beca suddenly worked out Chloe's plan, "You sure you don't wanna grab the bus, or-"

"-Nope." Chloe popped the 'p' and took a deep breath, "If we're gonna go rogue, we're doing it right." She gave Beca an encouraging nudge with her elbow and started jogging towards the train. Beca paused in surprise, watching Chloe head towards the train. Chloe called back to her, "Well?"

"What the hell am I getting into?" Beca shook her head and questioned the entire situation. She gave Chloe a shrug and ran after her; adrenaline beginning to flow through her body.

The train slowly began picking up speed. Up ahead, she saw Chloe take a jump onto the ledge of an open train car and pull herself up with ease. She stuck her head out and looked behind at Beca, holding out her hand for her to grab on to. Beca took it, pulling herself up too. Of course, the shorter girl wasn't as smooth as Chloe and of course, she struggled getting her legs fully into the train car. Chloe laughed and helped her; Beca awkwardly falling into her lap a little as she did so. Beca was eager to brush off her awkwardness, and took a step back from Chloe, dusting off her shirt.

"Where does this thing go?" Beca looked around at the train car which was full of wooden crates; graffiti drawn on the walls hinting that they weren't the first ones to hitch a ride.

"North? Maybe we'll end up in Seattle." Chloe seated herself down on some wooden pallets next to the open door of the train car, "Pull up a chair, Mitchell. The view is amazing." Chloe leaned back and crossed one leg over the other, letting the warm spring sun wash over her. Beca stood behind her slightly looking out at the view, finding her eyes drawn to Chloe. She noted how Chloe's long red hair still looked flawless as it moved with the breeze of the moving train car; her blue eyes lighting up at the view in front of them. Everyone always cooed over Chloe and said she looked akin to a model; Beca could see why.

Beca's thoughts were interrupted by a buzzing in her pocket. She unlocked her phone. Again, it was one of the very few people who regularly texted her: Jesse.

 ** _hey, why werent u in chem?_**

 ** _everything ok?_**

Beca stopped for a moment and wondered whether to reply properly. You know, just another typical day... Skipping school... With _Chloe Beale_. She thought it best not to get into that right now.

 _Yup!_

 _ **looked like aubrey and her compadres were giving u a hard time earlier**_

 _Everything's fine, kinda busy right now though_

 _Let's talk later_

 _ **ok**_

"Messaging anyone I should be worried about?" Chloe gave Beca a look of curiosity before looking back out at the view of the passing forest in front of them.

"Oh no, um..." Beca shoved her phone back in her pocket, "Just my mom."

"Mmhmm..." Chloe eyed Beca with a raised eyebrow, seeing right through her, "Grab that crate over there and come admire the view."

Beca did as she was told; giving the crate a push and a kick as smoothly as she could so it was opposite Chloe. She felt Chloe watch her the whole time she carried out the task.

 _"Ok Beca,"_ she thought to herself, _"You're on a freaking train with Chloe freaking Beale. Play it cool..."_

She sat herself down on the crate and looked out at the view of the forest that passed by in front of them, very aware of the fact that Chloe's eyes were fixed firmly on her and refused to leave. Beca felt that exposed, naked feeling again. Was this _nervousne_ ss? Beca had never felt nervous around other people. She had felt frustrated, lonely, angry, and like she couldn't care less around other people. This feeling however, was completely new. She wasn't used to this kind of interaction; it had been 2 years now since her childhood best friend had moved away and the only other person she'd hung out with alone had been Jesse. Their interactions used to consist of awkward make-out sessions to some rubbish movie Jesse had put on, as well as drunken gigs and listening to music together. Nowadays, it's more her poking fun at him and awkwardly rejecting his occasional advances. She'd never felt _nervous_ around him though, not once. Right now, she wished she'd had more experience of social interaction instead of choosing the whole "eff you" persona to everyone she met. She figured now was probably the time that people made small talk with each other...

"Nice Chloe we're having..." Beca felt her cheeks burn with regret almost instantly.

Chloe laughed loudly and gave her a look of confusion, "What?"

"I mean... Weather!" Beca wanted to leap off the train right there and then roll down the hill out of sight, "It's nice weather we're having."

"It sure is," Chloe smiled and looked away from Beca, back to the view of the world whizzing by outside. Beca was thankful for Chloe's mercy at her awkwardness, and made a mental note to never attempt small talk with anyone again like, ever. She looked out at the view then back to Chloe who, thankfully, had changed the subject, "So," she began, "It's kind of weird we're hanging out."

Beca couldn't help but feel a little pang of hurt at her comment. It was true though, "You mean, because I don't hang out with anyone and I don't have any friends?"

"You have friends."

"Well, I used to. Friend, singular," Beca sighed, "She left for greener, more northern pastures and hasn't bothered with me since."

"That sucks," Chloe's face looked genuinely sympathetic towards Beca. Chloe bit her lip as if she was going to say something else.

Before Chloe could say anything else, Beca was keen to change subject, "Hey, so..." Beca looked down at her shoes, "I wanted to say thanks."

"For pulling _you_ out of school?" Chloe asked sarcastically, knowing that it wasn't exactly a challenge to get Beca to skip class.

"No, dummy. Thanks for last night."

"Oh..."

"If you hadn't shown up..." Beca fiddled with her shoelace. It was true. If it wasn't for Chloe swooping in out of nowhere, Beca wasn't sure how things would have turned out last night.

"Assholes _abound_ in Acadia Bay." Chloe breathed an exasperated sigh which hinted she was as fed up with Acadia Bay as Beca was.

"Well, I owe you. That's for sure."

Chloe looked at her with some slight surprise, "Is that why you came along?"

Beca laughed at the question, "Are you suggesting I should need a reason to ditch Barden?"

Chloe laughed back, leaning forwards on the crate and towards Beca. She paused momentarily before changing the subject, "I bet you're wondering what we're doing."

"The thought occurred," Beca replied with caution. If she was honest, she was surprised at how swiftly she had followed Chloe out of school so blindly. For all she knew, this was a full-on kidnapping. Goddamn it, Mitchell.

"Well..." Chloe paused, thinking for a moment, "I wanted some company?"

"...that's it?" Beca laughed, "I'm not that dumb, Beale."

"Joy rides with me aren't fun?" Chloe pretended to look hurt.

Beca scoffed, "Joy rides to _where_ , exactly?"

"Life needs a little mystery, Beca," Chloe replied dreamily. She narrowed her eyes a little in thought, before shifting down off of the pallet she was sitting on and onto the floor so she was closer to Beca, "Let's do something fun."


	5. Now the start is in sight

**A/N: Hey all! Just wanted to thank you all again for your lovely comments and to let you know that I am aiming to complete this fic over the next couple of months. I've just started a new job and was super busy during the holidays. Thanks for your patience and sorry it took so long!**

* * *

 **Chapter 5: _"Are you coming now? Now the start is in sight"  
_**

* * *

"Let's do something fun."

Beca sensed the playfulness in Chloe's voice and went along with it, "V-card's been punched, Chloe. I'm sorry." Beca mentally winced as she pushed the image of a naked Jesse to the back of her mind.

"Wow!" Chloe was definitely _not_ expecting that.

Beca wasn't really expecting Chloe's surprise, either. "...too far?"

"We'll see," Chloe winked back at her in reply.

Not really knowing what to say next, Beca backtracked and gulped, "Okay, so..." she coughed out of shyness, "Something fun. I'm all ears."

"Let's play two truths and a lie."

"What?"

"We should totally play 'two truths and a lie,'" Chloe seemed way too excited about this, "It's a game where each person offers up three facts about themselves, two of which are the truth and one of which is—"

"—a lie?" Beca knew all too well where this was going.

"Right! You catch on fast, Beca Mitchell," Chloe winked, "And then the other person has to guess which is which."

Beca looked at Chloe with caution and it was obvious she had sensed it. Chloe patted the ground of the train car in front of her indicating for Beca to sit nearer to her. Beca got up and did as she was told. "You're on, Beale."

"I'll start. My first one is that I'm ambidextrous," Chloe flashed Beca a smile and showed her hands with pride; Beca tried her hardest to push away the thoughts of the careful touch of long and slender fingers gently touching her cheek and covering up her black eye with make up. She also tried her hardest to stop wondering what exactly Chloe could do with both her right and left hands in a very _different_ situation... "Second. I was born in New York, the land of fashion and Broadway, to which I will one day return when my heinous exile here in Acadia Bay comes to an end," Chloe gripped her fist tightly in front of her to add dramatic effect to her words.

"New York, huh?" Beca paused, thinking over the two facts Chloe had already offered her, "I've never been."

"Not a world traveller?"

"Not yet, at least," Beca sighed and looked longingly out at the rushing scenery as the train rattled through the forest.

"If you could travel anywhere, where would you go?" Chloe sighed and joined Beca in looking longingly out at the passing forest and wilderness in front of them, "Russia? Greece? Kathmandu?"

Beca looked to Chloe; curious at the choice of countries she gave her, "Um... Kathmandu?"

"One day, I'm going to climb Everest," Chloe stated with such seriousness and dedication that it took Beca a moment to realise what she'd just said.

" _Damn... And I thought moving away from Acadia Bay was ambitious..."_ Beca thought to herself. She turned to look back at Chloe, "What's your third thing?"

"My third thing?" Chloe looked lost for a moment.

"Um... yeah. Two truths and a lie? You say three things?"

"Oh, right!" Chloe sprung back into the present. "I'm a Leo. Meow." She raised her hand and winked; performing a claw like motion which only Chloe Beale could make sexy and not cringeworthy.

Beca tried to not act flustered and laughed, "Okay, so... Ambidextrous, born in New York, and a Leo. Gotcha."

"So, which is the lie?" Chloe grinned at Beca, eagerly awaiting her answer.

Beca paused, noting how she thought that if anyone was going to be ambidextrous that _of course_ it would be Chloe Beale. This brought her down to choosing between the two other facts... Chloe being born in New York or being a Leo. Beca looked right back at Chloe, studying her; dark blue eyes boring into cerulean ones. She felt her heart begin to beat faster and the palms of her hands get clammy.

"Hmmm... You seem more like a Cali girl to me."

"Damn, Mitchell, not bad!" Chloe seemed like she hadn't thought Beca would suss her out so quickly, "Long Beach, in fact. West coast is the best coast."

Beca sighed, wondering why Chloe, the epitome of a ray of a sunshine and _of course_ who came from California, had ended up in Acadia Bay. "I've only ever lived in Oregon so... Nothing to compare it to, I guess."

"Then we'll have to change that one day, won't we?" Chloe had scooted closer to Beca, and nudged her encouragingly with her elbow. Beca had been looking down at the passing ground below their dangling legs before Chloe had said that; she looked at Chloe with a surprised smile. Did Chloe Beale really just suggest that they would freaking _travel_ together? Even if Chloe had only meant to another state other than Oregon, Beca would go with her in a heartbeat. She mentally scolded herself for hanging onto her words so quickly; that was assuming Chloe really meant what she'd said.

Why would Chloe want to travel anywhere with Beca in the first place? She tried hard to shun away the negative thoughts. _"Stop being so hard on yourself for just a second. Jesus."_ Beca's thoughts echoed inside of her brain, _"Chloe wanted to skip school with_ _ **you**_ _today. She saved_ _ **you**_ _from those assholes last night and she has grabbed_ _ **your**_ _hand at least twice in the past 24 hours. Chill."_

"Okay. Your turn, Mitchell." Chloe had definitely inched even closer to Beca whilst she had been lost in her thoughts for the past minute or so.

"First fact. Right..." Beca was absolutely not used to disclosing facts about herself, never mind someone she had only properly started speaking to within the past day. She decided the easiest thing would be to start off with a lie. "I'm secretly the lead guitarist of an all-girl Misfits cover band. We're called the Missfits."

Chloe looked impressed and Beca suddenly wished she knew how to play guitar. "Impressive."

 _"Right..."_ Beca thought to herself for a second and racked her brains. She really didn't fancy disclosing any particular truths that Chloe would not immediately know. She was a closed book and she preferred to keep it that way, for now. She twiddled her thumbs and noted the scar on her wrist that she'd broken when she'd fallen off her skateboard a few years back. "I once broke my hand punching Stephanie Kowalski in fifth grade." Beca imitated a punch by punching her fist.

"No way." Chloe laughed it off, and Beca almost felt hurt that Chloe didn't believe she would actually do that.

"Bitch took my Yoo-hoo. Knocked her the fuck out."

Chloe studied Beca closely, noticing the scar on Beca's arm. "Is that how you got that scar?"

"Yep! Totally..." Beca realised that she had probably answered _way_ too fast for Chloe to take her seriously.

Beca paused thinking about the next one, and realised that maybe treading with caution would work in her favour. Chloe seemed so sure about herself when suggesting this game, but Beca wondered how good she really was. Giving three lies would be an awful lot easier on Beca than actually giving away anything real about herself right now... She decided to cheat.

Chloe pushed a stray strand of red hair behind her ear, again drawing Beca's eyes to the bright blue feather earring that hung from it. "So what's your third?"

Beca had the third lie ready, "I'm sad to say this, since you're a Leo and all, but... I'm allergic to cats."

Chloe narrowed her eyes and smiled with a hint of disbelief, "Are you now?"

"Yep. Swear." Beca tried her hardest to not let on that she had, in fact, given three lies and not a single truth. She felt bad for cheating, and she fiddled with her shoelace as she felt Chloe's eyes study her all over. She was interrupted from her thoughts sharply as Chloe turned to sit and face her as she grabbed her hand.

"You're _hella_ mysterious, Beca Mitchell." Chloe pulled Beca's hand closer to her and looked down at her palm. Beca felt familiar soft, slender fingers brush over them carefully as if they were brushing over pages of an old and valuable book. Her fingers tingled with each stroke that Chloe made, and she immediately felt very self-conscious about her hands that definitely felt as if they were getting clammier with nervousness at Chloe's touch.

Beca struggled to talk as she tried to act as calm as possible whilst Chloe looked at her palm, "Uhhh... 'hella'? Who says that?"

Beca could see Chloe grin as she continued looking down; studying Beca's palm in her own hands, "It's a Cali thing." She hummed softly to herself, "Anyway..." Chloe had paused and lingering her fingers over Beca's before lacing them with her own. Beca realised that they were suddenly holding hands properly as Chloe had stopped making brushstrokes over her palm and had instead entwined her fingers with Beca's (in a way which felt very different to when Chloe had grabbed her hand earlier and was leading her to the drama club rehearsal or saving her ass at the gig last night). It only lasted for a couple of seconds; Chloe seemed to have sussed out Beca's answers to the game already and let go of Beca's hand. "I think I have your number." Beca missed the touch instantly. "Now, about this broken hand story..."

"Totally legit..."

"It's not that I don't think you could knock Stephanie Kowalski out," It was like Chloe had read Beca's mind and maybe Beca had looked more hurt than she realised when Chloe had questioned it earlier. "A bitch takes your Yoo-hoo? She's gotta get got."

Beca grinned in agreement, "Damn straight."

"But. You didn't get that scar from punching someone." Chloe narrowed her eyes in concentration.

"Uh... I didn't?" Beca immediately felt anxious and apprehensive as to what Chloe was going to say instead.

" _That_ scar, is from a distal radius fracture," Chloe stated her response so matter-of-factly, that Beca could only blink.

How could Chloe possibly know that? "So you're a physician now?" Beca sat back in awe.

"Last summer I performed a one-woman Doctor Who homage entitled "Weeping Angel."

"Wait, what—"

"—The point is, I know that scar on your wrist comes from breaking it when you fall... like, from a skateboard?"

"Y...yeah..."

"I'd guess... six years ago?"

"Seven years ago..." Beca was stunned, even if Chloe was a year out on the guess, "Well... shit. I always thought I was a good liar."

Chloe's bright blue eyes sparkled and her stare lingered on Beca's face. "Good thing you're pretty."

Beca gripped the train car floor in surprise at Chloe's compliment. She felt as if she could be in a dream and that she was about to be sucked out of the train car at any moment.

"Which brings me to your alleged cat allergy."

Beca wasn't sure how Chloe had got that one, "Alleged?"

"I'm calling lie."

Beca was sure that Chloe would guess that as the truth seeing as it was such a generic statement and a common thing for people to have. "Why is that?"

"I mean... Maybe you're allergic. But I've passed by your locker a few times, and I've seen that old photo of a cat you keep in there."

Beca could feel herself blush and she coughed in an attempt to keep her cool disposition. "His name was Bongo. He was a gift from my dad."

"Did he pass away?"

"Yeah... my dad died two years ago." Beca's eyes fell as she felt that same, familiar sadness of her loss wash over her. "I thought everyone knew that."

"I meant Bongo..." Chloe obviously felt bad and her eyes looked full of sadness too.

"Oh my god! Of course... of course that's what you meant," Beca felt herself tripping over her own words in realtime. "I'm so sorry."

"Hey, it's okay," Chloe's smile was so warm that the feeling of reassurance was almost instantaneous.

"Awkward moment of the year?" Beca knew this game was a bad idea.

Chloe's eyes warmed and she smiled at Beca reassuringly, "Definitely." Her voice made Beca feel at ease which was surprising since they had somehow managed to touch on the subject Beca had purposefully not wanted to cross. Chloe put a finger to her chin in thought. "So, this lead guitarist business..."

"The business of show." Beca felt proud of her pun.

"As much as I would _love_ to be a groupie to your all-girl cover band, the Missfits, I'm gonna have to call lie on that one."

Beca swallowed the thought of Chloe being her groupie, "You don't think I can rock?"

Chloe was quick to correct her, "Not at all. You _absolutely_ rock. The problem is your hands."

Beca looked down at her own hands immediately as a self-conscious reaction, "What?-"

"Your hands are smooth. No calluses. You don't play guitar." Beca felt instant relief and noted how glad she was that Chloe had noticed how smooth her hands were just as she had noted how soft Chloe's were as they made brushstrokes across her palm and laced with her fingers. "Pity, too... you'd look _hot_ on stage." Beca raised her eyebrows at Chloe. She could _definitely_ get used to a) the idea of Chloe as her groupie and b) Chloe thinking she was hot. "So, if my math is correct..." Beca gulped. Chloe turned back to face away from Beca and she let her legs hang above the ground passing by below them. "You cheated. Not a single truth escaped your lips."

"Not true!" Beca bumped her shoulder to Chloe's.

"Oh?" Chloe eyed Beca mischievously.

"Stephanie Kowalski really did steal my Yoo-hoo in fifth grade."

Chloe pretended to crack her knuckles in jest. "Well... she better watch out. Next time I see the bitch, she's gonna feel my wrath."

Beca laughed, happy to feel as if she could potentially have someone who was on her side for once. "You are crazy good at this game."

Chloe smiled and looked out at the world passing by thoughtfully, "A lifetime of studying the human condition."

"Well... I'm impressed," and Beca really was.

"I bet it's hard to impress Beca Mitchell. I'm going to feel good about that." Chloe sighed and looked down at both her and Beca's feet dangling above the ground passing by below them, "When your dad is the District Attorney, I guess lying is... Lying is something you're used to."

"Seriously?" Beca hadn't realised that Chloe's dad was the District Attorney for Acadia Bay.

"Seriously."

"I know who to call if I need to get out of a ticket, then," Beca winked, playing on the notions she had got from Chloe "...not that I have a ride of my own. Car first, embarrassing number of moving violations second."

Chloe laughed, "Hey, thanks for trusting me."

Beca was intrigued, "Trusting you?"

"You played the game," Chloe giggled, "I guess. Even if you did cheat, you opened up a lot. That's all."

Beca tried to shrug it off; nervousness apparent in her voice, "It's uh... not a big deal."

"Hate to break it to you, but Beca Mitchell isn't exactly renowned throughout Acadia Bay as a bastion of trust and empathy." Beca could sense the sound of hesitation in Chloe's voice.

"I'm just not really into touchy-feely shit but..." Beca knew what she wanted to say but hesitated. She wasn't sure if she had ever said the words that were about to leave her lips. She looked up cautiously into eyes that shone as they looked down into hers, "But I feel like I can trust you."

"Yeah?" Chloe wanted to make sure.

Beca knew her reputation for not letting anyone in had made Chloe doubtful. "I got on this train with you, didn't I?"

"Fair point."

* * *

The air between them fell silent and heavy; Beca's eyes hadn't left Chloe's and Chloe's hadn't left Beca's. Chloe's smile seem to curl slightly more on one side; making Beca curious as to what thoughts were running through her head and suddenly curious as to if Chloe's lips were as soft as her hands. She found it hard to read Chloe's expression other than she felt as if she couldn't take her eyes off of her. It was almost too much for her to bear. She thought briefly how lucky she was right now; how Chloe could have skipped class with any other student but had asked _her_.

If only Aubrey or Jesse could see this; Beca was pretty damn sure that every single student at Barden Academy would want to trade places with her right now. Beca broke the moment away after feeling her phone buzz in her pocket; no doubt it was Jesse again. She noticed Chloe look away into the passing distance too. " _Music_ ," she thought. She pulled out her iPod and headphones from her jeans pocket.

"Hey, wanna listen?" Beca held out a headphone for Chloe to take. Chloe smiled in affirmation and placed the headphone in her ear. Beca placed the other headphone in her own ear and scrolled through her iPod, very aware of the fact that she was about to make a very important decision and she wanted to get the music choice right. Chloe was obviously into similar music to Beca after them both being at the Firewalk gig last night; Beca wanted to make sure. One chance. Music was, quite simply, everything. She needed to get it right. She clicked on a song and felt relieved at the choice as she heard the initial guitar strums and drum beat begin to _"Through the Cellar Door"_ by _Lanterns On The Lake_ begin to play.

She watched the world pass by and noticed Chloe nod her head along to the song; they were sat so close that Beca realised that their thighs were now touching. The sun was high in the midday sky above them and lush green pine trees raced in front of them as if they were travelling through time. Her skin warmed as the sun washed over them and she closed her eyes to take it all in; the smell of the fresh coastal air; the sun washing over her face; the music in her ears; the feel of Chloe's thigh up close to hers.

The song came to an end and Chloe returned the headphone to Beca. Beca wrapped her headphones around her iPod and placed it back into her jeans pocket. She looked at Chloe who was still enjoying the sun blanketing the both of them and she was resting back on her hands. Beca looked down and noticed Chloe's blue bracelet on her wrist as she did so. "Cool bracelet."

"I've had it since I was a kid in Long Beach." Chloe fiddled with it and twisted it around, "It reminds me that there's more to experience out there than just Acadia Bay." Both of them looked out at the sea in the distance over the trees, "Maybe one day I'll go back to Long Beach or... anywhere but here. Maybe sooner than later."

"What brought that on?" Beca was sure Chloe hated Acadia Bay just as much as she did, but she was keen to know the reason for her eagerness.

"Sometimes, I feel like I've got no reason to stay." Chloe's eyes changed and Beca almost thought they looked a much darker shade of blue all of a sudden. "Don't be surprised Beca if one day, I'm just out of here."

Beca felt a sudden pang of sadness at Chloe's response and longed to delve deeper. For now, she continued to play it cool. "Let me know if you need an accomplice."

Chloe became distracted by something she had seen outside and her demeanour changed almost immediately, "Check it out! We're here!"

"What?! Where is 'here?!'" Beca looked out of the train car and couldn't see anything different about where they were currently. Still a lot of trees and a lot of Acadia Bay wilderness.

"Jump and find out!" Chloe gave Beca a nudge of encouragement with her elbow.

Beca's head swung back to look at Chloe, "Did you say jump?!" No effin' way.

"Jump!" Chloe egged Beca on and grabbed her hand in reassurance, looking her in the eye sincerely. Seriously, what the hell _was_ she getting into right now?

Beca threw her arms up in the air. "Fuck it!" She pushed herself up and off of the train car with all the strength in her arms, the wind speeding through her hair as she dropped to the ground below.


	6. Are you with me?

**Chapter 6: _"And it's a crying shame if you don't come. Are you with me?"  
_**

* * *

Beca somehow managed to land on two feet after jumping out of the train car and on to the ground below. Chloe had let her jump first, and Beca looked behind to see Chloe beaming at her. _"Okay, good to know that all I have to do to impress Chloe Beale and keep her happy is skip school and jump out of moving trains. Got it._ " Beca grinned back at her. She could get used to Chloe being her accomplice on the days she couldn't face Barden Academy. And on any day, for that matter. Chloe skipped ahead in front of her, evidently sure of where she was taking Beca on this "field trip."

Beca looked through the trees and the overgrowth and heard the sound of rushing river water. Looking behind them at the rolling hills which gradually turned into mountains, Beca realised where they were. Overlook Park. It was a beautiful, scenic park that was situated on the outskirts of Acadia Bay. Lush green pine trees towered above both Chloe and Beca as they walked along the path leading away from the train tracks and to the centre of the park. Beca looked down at the river rushing below them and let the smell of fresh air and pine leaves fill her senses. Chloe was almost jogging up ahead of her, and Beca really had to pick up the pace to keep up with her.

"Should I be worried that you dragged me out of school to go for a walk in the woods?" Beca called out to Chloe.

"Yep. This is absolutely a kidnapping." Chloe called back nonchalantly, "Come on, we're almost there!" Chloe pointed further up the path and up some steps which led to the main view point of Overlook Park. The path was steep, and once Chloe had finally came to a stop, Beca could definitely feel a stitch coming on. She tried her best to hide the fact that she was out of breath as much as she possibly could.

Beca had to hand it to Chloe for deciding to skip school and come _here,_ of all places. They had reached the main part of the overlook, where the view of the forest and the sea spanned for miles. The overlook had benches and viewfinders and it also just so happened to be nicknamed "Make-out Point" by students at Barden Academy; a fact which was definitely not lost on Beca. " _Okay Beca. I'm sure Chloe just has a thing for nature and enjoys a good view. She absolutely did not bring you up here for any other reason..."_ Beca felt lost in thought as she looked up ahead at Chloe who was leaning over the wooden railings and admiring the view. _"Just a day in the park... With_ _ **Chloe Beale**_ _. You know that thing you do when something kind of amazing is happening? And you don't always stop to think about it right away? And then when you do think about it, you start thinking about it a lot? And the more you think about it the crazier it seems until you're psyching yourself out and everything turns to shit? Yeah Beca... Let's not do that today."_

Beca's thoughts were interrupted promptly by her phone buzzing in her pocket. She unlocked the screen to see a text from Cynthia-Rose.

 ** _Hey, just a heads up. Principal Wells is on the warpath._**

 _OH NO!_

Beca felt almost felt bad with her sarcastic reply, but right now nothing was going to make her regret skipping school with Chloe.

 ** _Seriously_**

 ** _Just trying to help._**

 _It's cool. Thanks for the heads up_

 ** _You should come play D &D with me and Benji some time_**

 _I might take you up on that if I ever feel like taking my nerdiness up to the next level_

 ** _Don't hate, appreciate_**

 _I didn't say no..._

 ** _You could see if Chloe wants to play with us too_**

The thought of Chloe playing D&D made Beca laugh quietly to herself, and made her look forward to appreciate the person in question.

Red waves of hair shifted with the cool spring breeze as Beca approached her. She saw how much her eyes sparkled just like the sea out on the horizon in front of them and matched the blue of her single feather earring that waved in the breeze. "Hey, it's actually a pretty nice view up here," Beca remarked to Chloe, looking at her, then out at the horizon, then back to Chloe.

"Glad you approve," Chloe continued admiring the view in front of them before turning to Beca, "And, as your reward for making it up here..." Beca's mind began to race at a thousand miles a minute as Chloe took a step towards her, "I have a new game for us to play."

Beca scoffed, "Another one?"

"I like games. Deal with it." Chloe brushed Beca off and began walking towards one of the viewfinders. Beca made a mental note to herself that Chloe liking games would bode well for Cynthia-Rose who had asked her if Chloe was into games earlier that morning. "This game I learned in theatre class. It's all about improvisation."

Beca could see a pattern forming here. "So far what I've learned about you is that you're into acting, lying, and playing games."

Chloe shrugged her comment off, "What's your point?"

"That you're either full of imagination or full of shit," Beca folded her arms and eyed her curiously.

"Hmm. Let me know when you figure out which one." Chloe folded her arms imitating Beca and cocked an eyebrow. "This game involves spying on people from afar. Luckily..." Chloe tapped on the top of the viewfinder, "...we've got some high tech surveillance equipment right here."

Chloe took a quarter out of the back pocket of her jeans and ushered Beca to stand next to her to look through the viewfinder; Chloe put her face to the left eye lens and Beca took the right. She tried to shake off the fact that she was standing close enough to Chloe that she could smell her... perfume? Her hair? Beca couldn't help but turn her head towards her so she could see her from the corner of her eye. Chloe smelled like... jasmine? Something that was not too sweet but also something that was so damn _good_. "... _Is she smelling me right now too?"_ Beca told herself off mentally as she remembered how her t-shirt from last night had smelled like cigarettes and beer, _"Dammit, I really should have showered this morning..."_

"Alright, here's the game," Chloe's words made Beca awake from her thoughts, "You find some people for us to spy on, and then you and I will act out what they're saying and thinking."

Beca laughed, "That's it? I do that in my head during, like... every class."

"See? You're a natural." Chloe gave her a gentle nudge, "Let's give it a try."

Beca peered through the viewfinder and rotated it with her hands to find some people to spy on. Decisions, decisions. Overlook Park was not short on people to choose from. There were plenty of joggers, dog walkers, people doing yoga, and of course; couples making out. She turned it to face down the cliff and to the right where a girl was laying on the grass with her laptop.

Beca put on her best fake Aubrey Posen voice, "Ugh! Nature's. Wifi. _Sucks._ "

Chloe joined her, imitating the voice Beca used as close as possible, "Hm. Maybe there's like, a squirrel family around here with broadband."

"If only I could guess their password. Welovenuts69?" Beca retaliated to the improv.

"Dingosateoutbabies13?"

Beca lost the Aubrey voice and responded seriously. "...Too soon." Chloe laughed warmly and the sound rang through Beca's ears. She could get used to that sound. Beca moved the viewfinder to the left to a campground through some trees. A young boy was sat at a picnic bench whilst his dad cooked food on a barbeque grill.

"Hmm... What's going on with these two?"

Beca put on her gruffest voice and most masculine voice, "And the lord saideth: thou shalt make a burnt offering of your first born son..."

Chloe mimicked a child's voice which was almost cartoon like. "Who are you talking to, dad?"

"No one, son. Now, lean into the grill and see if the fire's started," Beca heard Chloe giggling softly in her left ear as she spoke, "Further... further..."

"Wow, that was dark, Mitchell."

Beca panicked a little. "...Too dark?"

Chloe turned her head to look at Beca and smiled. "Perfect dark."

Beca tried hard not to grin too dorkily from ear-to-ear. She couldn't help but think for a split moment how lonely she had been for so long, and how she had longed to share moments with someone who _got_ her, and find someone who didn't care if she was a stormy raincloud on most days; perhaps Chloe could be her sunshine.

"This is fun, who's next?" Beca began to turn the viewfinder to the right, but felt Chloe tug it hard in the other direction. "Oops, sorry. I didn't mean to hog the viewfinder." She peered through and watched as Chloe landed it on a middle-aged man in a smart black and grey suit walking along the path. He was walking over to a woman stood under a giant willow tree. She had long auburn hair and was in a white dress; a tattoo sleeve covering her entire left arm. They met with a long embrace. "Woohooo, jackpot." Beca zoomed in on the viewfinder to start the improv game, "Commence make-out session in 3...2...1..." The man put his hand to the woman's face and they started kissing intensely. "Nailed it. Damn, they are really going at it..." Beca was proud of herself for counting in their make-out session so perfectly. She imitated the man's voice, "Oh, honey. I think we used the vibrating bed for too long. I'm totally seeing double." She turned her head to look at Chloe when she realised Chloe hadn't said her line yet, "Chloe?" Chloe had left her viewfinder lens and was walking away with her arms crossed. "Hey, are...are you alright?" Beca started walking to walk towards her with caution.

"What are we doing?"

Beca was taken aback by Chloe's abrupt and blunt response. "E...excuse me?

"Last I checked, you're supposed to be Beca Mitchell. Yet we've been ditching school for hours now and we haven't even gotten wasted yet. That's got to be against some school ditching rule." Chloe's demeanour had changed entirely; her ocean eyes had grown dark and there was a distinct frown on her face.

Beca didn't really know what to say. The spying improv game was all Chloe's idea, what the hell? She could sense that right now that for whatever reason, Chloe was not in the mood for messing around so she decided to go along with it, "Uh, hell yeah. The honor student wants to show the school delinquent how to party? Be my guest."

"How gracious of you." The anger in Chloe's voice was obvious and Beca felt completely lost. What the hell just happened? Beca Mitchell was supposed to be the stormy raincloud, not Chloe Beale. She watched as Chloe stormed up the path. She followed her until they came to a clearing with picnic benches were a young couple were eating food and drinking wine. " _They_ have a bottle of wine. Let's steal it."

Beca didn't have a problem doing things like that to people who were dicks and who deserved it, but this seemed a little too far, even for her. "Uh, okay. Or we could go try to find a liquor store instead?"

"No. You shouldn't bring alcohol to a public park if you're not willing to share it with everybody, right?" Chloe touched the back of Beca's arm to encourage her, "And... Fuck it. I just want to take something that's not mine."

Beca put both her hands up to signify her surrender; Chloe was _not_ one to be argued with right now. _"Damn, apparently Chloe Beale is as fiery as her hair is..."_ She thought to herself.

"Alright, I'm going in. Try to keep up."

"Wait, what...?" Beca could only stop and stare as Chloe proceeded to walk towards the picnic bench the couple were sat at.

The woman looked up at Chloe as she approached. "Um, can we help you?"

What happened next, Beca could barely believe; Chloe Beale was one hell of a performer alright. She watched as Chloe feigned struggling to breathe, gasping for breath and holding a hand to her chest. Her blue eyes were wide as she acted and she completely fell to the ground. Beca gasped at the scene, and the couple jumped up from the bench and ran over to Chloe to help. _"Holy shit... Talk about committing to a performance?! Act fast, Beca."_ She tried to collect her thoughts as she approached the picnic bench the couple had just abandoned. She had just begun reaching out for the wine bottle when a twig snapped beneath her feet. The couple turned around to see her.

"Oh, thank god! Please, this girl is in trouble. Go get help!" _Dammit._

Beca panicked but thought quickly on her feet, "I already called 911! They should have an ambulance here any moment. They said to keep close watch on her. Like, turn _all the way around_ and really focus on her."

The guy on the floor looking over Chloe was obviously worried. "Oh... okay! I'm going to check her pulse. That's uh... on her neck, right?"

The woman didn't seem to trust Beca as much. "I still think you should go get help! There's a ranger station on the other side of the park."

"Uhh look at all the time we've wasted already! This woman needs mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, like... stat." Beca knew it was evil to set Chloe up like that, but that sure would teach her for getting her into a situation like this.

The woman looked to her boyfriend, "I think she's right. You better do it, Craig!"

Chloe groaned quietly on the floor at the possibility of receiving mouth-to-mouth from 'Craig.' "Noooooooo..."

"Yup, definitely needs mouth-to-mouth." Maybe Beca was better at this acting business than she realised.

"Okay. Okay! Craig, you can do this..." The man was panicking heavily and rolled up the sleeves of his hoodie. He turned around to face Chloe who was lying on the ground. He began to lean over her as his girlfriend watched on in worry. Their attention was diverted and now was Beca's chance to grab the wine; ushering away random thoughts of giving Chloe mouth-to-mouth from her brain and noting how she seemed to have no control over her own thoughts when it came to Chloe. She grabbed the wine quickly and hid it behind her back. Craig was still leaning in towards Chloe; their lips just centimetres away from touching.

Chloe stopped him just before their lips touched; jumping up so fast that Craig was knocked to the ground. His girlfriend gasped in shock and they watched Chloe in bewilderment. "Hey! Wow! I'm all better now. You saved my life!" Chloe brushed the dirt off from her clothes from where she'd 'fainted', "From the bottom of my heart... thank you."

"Yeah, good work team!" Beca tried her hardest to keep a straight face when seeing the look of awe on the couples faces, "Peace out."

They ran back up the path as fast as they could and laughing whilst trying to stop each other from laughing too loud. Once they were out of sight of the bewildered couple, they stopped to catch their breath under some trees. Beca handed Chloe the bottle of wine once the coast was definitely clear. The top popped open and Chloe took the kind of gulps that made it seem like she was drinking half the bottle. "Here, you earned this." Chloe offered the wine to Beca.

"Thanks. I could use a drink after trying to keep up with you." Beca laughed, and put the large bottle of wine to her lips. She felt the warm, red liquid glide down her throat. She was still a little hungover from the gig last night; the alcohol made her lips tingle and her head spin a little already.

Chloe almost snatched the bottle back out of Beca's hands, taking a few more long gulps. "I... am _excessively_ sober right now." Chloe sighed, exasperated. Before Beca could respond, Chloe had turned around and started walking back towards the train tracks they had originally rode upon to get to Overlook Park. Beca's head couldn't keep up with Chloe right now and she wasn't sure if it was the alcohol or just Chloe in general; she followed her regardless.


	7. Most of us are bitter over someone

**Chapter 7: _"Most of us are bitter over someone"  
_**

* * *

The sky above them was no longer blue, and had instead turned a warm orange as the spring afternoon grew older. They walked along the train tracks for a while; Chloe kept walking ahead every now and then and was completely silent. She'd kept the bottle of wine the whole time, taking swigs every so often. Beca felt uneasy and the tension between them was indescribable; she didn't know what had happened to make Chloe act like this but she just hoped she hadn't messed up. Knowing her luck though, she knew she probably had. She looked at the ground and carried on walking; balancing on the train tracks as if she was tight-rope walking and kicking stones every now and then.

They came to a clearing through the trees and Beca's eyes lit up at the what she'd spotted; a large, desolate junkyard. "Whoa... hey, check this out!" She skipped off of the train tracks and jogged towards the junkyard.

"What?" Chloe replied flatly and was less than impressed.

Rusted cars littered the place; old restaurant signs were scattered throughout and old appliances shone in the late afternoon sun. An old school bus from Barden Academy was abandoned there as well as flat tires; an old, rusted swing set swung gently in the Oregon breeze.

Beca put a hand to Chloe's back and led her over into her the junkyard with a big grin on her face, hoping she could make Chloe feel better. "Great. It's a pile of trash." Chloe's tone was flat and unimpressed.

"Uh, yeah. An _awesome_ pile of trash. Let's explore."

Chloe sighed heavily and looked as if she was more fed up with the world than Beca was, and that was saying something. "You have fun, Beca. I'm gonna go sit down." Chloe brushed past Beca and sat on an old wooden crate.

Beca couldn't understand her deal or why she had been acting so off with her since they'd left Overlook Park. She paused; observing Chloe sat on the crate. She wanted so badly to know what was wrong. Not just to know if she messed up, but because she felt like she genuinely _cared_ about Chloe and wanted to make things right. Still, whatever was wrong with Chloe, it wasn't fair for her to turn on Beca just like that. Chloe was resting her head in her hands and looking into the distance with a look on her face that Beca couldn't decipher. She walked towards her tentatively, fiddling with the sleeve of her t-shirt out of nervousness. She decided to call her out.

"I've heard that actors are moody, but wow Chloe..."

Chloe looked up at her, "I'm not moody. I just need some space. Is that alright with you?"

"Okay..." Beca swung her arms out of frustration. "Actually, no. I thought we were having a great day together. Why are you acting like this all of a sudden?" She couldn't stop the words from spilling out of her mouth. She wasn't used to dealing with people and their emotions in this much depth and she felt lost.

"I'm not acting like anything. I just want to be left alone right now!" Chloe's voice was harsh and her tone and words hurt Beca.

Beca still didn't understand, she pushed further as words continued to spill from her lips, "No! I don't understand. You can't just turn on me for no reason."

Chloe snapped. "I'm sorry, 'turn on you'? I guess I forgot. It's always about how YOU feel, isn't it?" Chloe got up from the crate and walked towards Beca, "'Sad Beca's fucking sad again.' Maybe you should try giving a shit about other people for once."

Beca felt as if a blunt knife had stabbed at her chest. She felt a distinct lump in her throat. Giving a shit about people? That's what this whole argument stemmed down to in the first place; Beca finally meeting someone she _cares_ _about_ and trying to find out what's wrong with them. Because, for once, she actually _cared_. "Are you serious right now?!"

"Fuck!" Chloe lost it. She threw the wine bottle she was holding at a steel barrel away from them; glass shattering everywhere. Beca stood back bewildered as Chloe sat back on the wooden crate she'd been sitting on, burying her head in her hands.

The frustration in Beca made her head feel dizzy, but she still wanted to know what was going on with Chloe and she really did _care_. _"Apparently, she gets smashy when she's angry..."_ Beca made a note for her own reference to stay the fuck back when the redhead gets mad in future. Beca looked near to the barrel that the wine bottle had smashed on; a wooden baseball bat was leaning up against it. _"...I can work with smashy."_ She picked up the baseball bat and felt the weight of it in her hands; she decided to give Chloe a show in an attempt to cheer her up. "Hey Chloe, check it out." Chloe lifted her head up from her hands to look at her as Beca picked up an empty beer bottle from the ground and placed it on an abandoned toilet. Beca took a step back and swung at it with the baseball bat, hard. It flew away from them and smashed on an old car. "Home run!"

Chloe walked over to Beca. "Can I see?" Beca complied and handed her the bat, hopefully it had worked. "I asked you to _leave me alone_." Chloe took the bat in her hands and threw it to the ground.

Apparently Beca's idea hadn't worked. "Are you kidding me?!" Beca had given up. Her head began to hurt and she felt her anger rumble inside of her and erupt, "I know you're the school princess and all, with the DA daddy and the perfect grades and all the perfect Aubrey Posens kissing your perfect ass, but seriously... Fuck you."

Chloe's eyes grew wide and made it apparent she wasn't expecting Beca to say that. Beca regretted her words instantly. "Great. I'm leaving." Chloe turned on her heels to leave the junkyard, "See you around, Beca."

Beca panicked and felt her eyes begin to sting and she became overwhelmed by the confusion, hurt, and anger inside of her, "You can't leave!"

"Watch me." Chloe didn't look back and continued to walk away.

"Chloe, wait! Don't go. _Please_." Chloe stopped in her tracks.

She turned around to face Beca. There was a large gap between them and Chloe crossed her arms. "Why not?"

Beca struggled to find the words and felt her palms sweat. "Because..." Chloe stared back at her waiting for a reason for her to stay. Beca knew what she needed to say but she wasn't sure how to voice it or how it would even come out. She was so used to shutting out everyone and everything and she wasn't prepared for this. She wasn't prepared for someone wanting to spend time with her. She wasn't prepared for genuinely caring about someone. "...Because I don't want to ruin this the way I ruin everything else in my life." Her voice broke as she spoke and she couldn't help it, she felt a tear escape her eye and run down her cheek.

Chloe stepped slowly towards her; arms still folded. Beca looked into her eyes and realised they were also full of tears. Chloe's voice broke as she tried to hold back her tears, "And what is 'this' exactly?"

Beca's heart felt like it jumped up and into her throat. "I mean... _Fuck_. Are you actually going to make me say it?"

"Say _what_ , exactly?" Chloe looked her dead in the eye, full of tears and uncertainty.

"You know. Like... like a friendship but... **More**." Beca saw Chloe's eyes widen at her words and she immediately regretted her painfully awkward and ambiguous choice of words. "I know. Weird, right? It's just..." Beca gulped, "...today was the best day I've had since..." She felt another tear escape, "...since my dad died. And when I almost ruined it just now, the way I ruin everything, it made me realize that..." She took a deep breath, "...Whatever's going on between us is special." Beca felt instant relief as, for once, her true feelings escaped her lips. It only lasted for a moment and was replaced with anxiety as Chloe wasn't saying anything; just staring back at Beca shocked, "Come on, say something." _Please._

Chloe unfolded her arms and looked at Beca in desperation, "Beca, I... I'm **sorry**. I'm really, really, sorry. But... I can't. I can't, even though I want to..."

Beca already knew where this was heading from Chloe's face alone. "You know what? Forget it. This was really stupid. I mean, you're Chloe Beale and I'm..." Beca looked to the ground and sighed, realising how dumb she had been, "...I'm Beca Mitchell."

"It's _not_ that. It's just... hard right now, and I... I can't talk about it." Chloe was visibly crying now.

Beca paced in frustration, "Why not?"

"Because I can't. I know it isn't fair, but it's how it is." She closed the gap between her and Beca and reached a hand up to touch Beca's cheek. Beca looked up at Chloe as she felt a tear stream down and land on that same, familiar hand that had stroked her palm, led her to safety, fixed her black eye. She desperately searched teary blue eyes for clues; she searched them as if they were going to help her read Chloe's mind and know what she was really thinking. She could have sworn that she'd seen Chloe look down at her lips for a second and for once Beca's thoughts right now were clear as day. She looked up into those ocean blue eyes that somehow looked as if they held all of the answers.

It was the first time she had ever needed someone so badly; needed someone to help her navigate the empty, lonely waters that she'd struggled to keep her head above for so long; needed someone in way that was more than just a friend to talk to.

She wanted to kiss her.

She wanted to kiss Chloe and for her to take this pain away.

She wanted to kiss Chloe so badly, but then she felt that familiar hand leave her face and suddenly the air around her went cold.

She'd let words escape her lips that she now wished she had kept bottled inside just like everything else; this was the reason she drowned out the world with her music, and the reason she couldn't trust anyone no matter how nice they may seem at first; Beca had fucked it up. Just like she always fucked everything up.

Chloe looked like she was going to say something else to Beca and hesitated, before taking a step back from her. She choked back tears as she did so.

"Goodbye, Beca."

Everybody always fucking leaves.

* * *

Beca could only watch as Chloe left the junkyard. Her feet felt rooted to the ground as her heart ached; her anger and frustration bubbled inside like hot lava. Her head was spinning and the tears stung at her face; she saw the baseball bat that Chloe had thrown to the ground. She spun on her heels and picked it up. She held the bat in her right hand; tapping it against the palm of her left. She searched around the junkyard looking for... anything. She saw an old made-up mannequin leaning against an abandoned truck. She gripped the end of the bat.

"You _know_ she's fake, yet you can't take your eyes off her. Who else do I know that fits _that_ description?" She swung the baseball bat and knocked the mannequin's head clean off the body; it went flying across the junkyard and over the fence, "Fuck off, Chloe."

Her phone buzzed and she whipped it out of her pocket. Multiple texts and missed calls from her mom.

 ** _Barden Academy called. I think you know why._**

 _ **We have a meeting tomorrow with Principal Wells.**_

 _ **I need you to do better.**_

 _ **Beca**_

 _ **Beca?**_

 ** _Please let me know you're okay?_**

She shoved her phone back hastily into her jeans pocket without replying. None of that mattered. She saw a tool box almost identical to the one that her mom's boyfriend had decided to plant in their garage as a replacement for her dad's. "If you're gonna rip a family apart from the inside, it's important to bring the proper tools..." She dropped the bat and heaved up the rusty old tool box, smashing it into the school bus, "Fuck you, David."

She stepped on an old Polaroid camera which instantly reminded her of her childhood best friend who used to love taking photos of them both and making them into collages and scrapbooks, "You took a million pictures of us but not one of them showed me that you were going to leave when I needed you the most." She held the bat above her head and swung it down hard on the camera, "Fuck cameras."

The rage flooded out of her and Beca was no longer thinking. She smashed bottles, old driers, wooden crates, and cried. She paced around looking for something else, _anything_ else. That's when she saw it. Her arms and legs became weak; the baseball bat dropped to the ground. Her heart sunk in her chest and she blinked through the tears.

 _"Dad?"_

The wreck of an old, red crashed car. The roof was severely dented inwards; one side completely smashed. It was rusted all over with no door on the driver's side. Beca slowly placed both hands on bonnet, tears dropping down onto the rusted metal. All emotion flooded out from her body as she balled her fists and hit the bonnet hard and screamed. She fell to her knees; holding her head in her hands.

* * *

Country music filled her ears. Her eyes were hazy as she came around to her senses; the sound of a car engine and the sound of a man humming along to the country song on the radio. Her dad was driving whilst Beca was sat in the back seat of his car; he smiled at her in the rear-view mirror. What was happening? _How_ was this happening? He turned around to face her.

"Why are you crying, sweetheart?"

Beca felt the tears still lingering on her cheeks. "Because... you're not real."

Her dad chuckled at the reply. "I'm not?!"

Beca looked around the car in an attempt to clock her surroundings. Pinned to the back of the passenger seat in front of her was the same poster of The Tempest that Jesse had pointed out to her at Barden Academy earlier that day; Chloe Beale starring as the lead role of Prospera. On the floor next to her feet was the big wine bottle her and (mostly) Chloe had been drinking from during the afternoon. _"I don't feel drunk..."_ Beca stated to herself.

"Kiddo, look on the bright side, would ya?"

Beca scoffed, "What bright side?!"

"You made a new friend today." Her dad pointed out of the right window from the car. They were about to drive past the huge willow tree that they saw that man and woman making out underneath at Overlook Park. There underneath it, Beca saw Chloe walking up to it. Her dad continued, "Gotta say, that was some fight. A lovers' quarrel, you might say? She nearly took your head off."

Beca put a hand up to the glass of the car window as she saw they were about to drive past Chloe for the second time. She sighed with sadness. "What do you care?"

"Sorry, sweetheart. I guess I am getting into your personal business," he smiled at his daughter, "Sometimes, people need you though." He pointed out of the window again, and the car pulled up to a stop; Chloe was standing there waiting at the side of the road, "Even when they don't admit it."

Beca starred up at Chloe from inside the car and saw the tears still in her eyes. Chloe placed a hand on the windowpane. Beca placed hers against the window too in the same spot; the glass being the only barrier keeping them from touching. As their hands met, flames and embers started appearing outside, surrounding Chloe. "Chloe...?"

The angry, harsh horn of a truck sounded in the distance.

It grew nearer.

It grew louder.

A loud crash.

Darkness.


	8. Setting fire to our insides for fun

**Chapter 8: _"Setting fire to our insides for fun"_**

* * *

Darkness.

Beca sat up and gasped for air. Her heart was racing and her eyes were quick to adjust to her surroundings. Crickets sounded outside and the full moon in the sky illuminated the dark junkyard. It was night time. She realised quickly that she had somehow fallen asleep on the backseat of the crashed car. The one that had made her break down; the one that had caused her to drop to her knees and cry; the painful reminder of when her dad died in that car accident two years ago; the start of everything going wrong in her life. She pushed herself up and off the seat, feeling the old, worn material of it as she did so. She ducked her head beneath the mangled metal where the driver's door should have been. Once outside the wreck of the car, she slowly placed her hands on the car bonnet again. It creaked beneath the weight and she sighed as one final tear landed on the cold rust and 'plopped' as it did so. She forced herself to turn away.

An owl cooed somewhere in the trees nearby as she walked through the junkyard and towards the exit. She passed the crate that Chloe had been sitting on and the spot where she'd confessed everything. She had never let truer words slip from her lips. She thought about her dream with her dad, with Chloe walking up to that huge willow tree they looked at through the viewfinder earlier that day, with their hands meeting on the glass before flames surrounded Chloe... she had to find her. Beca had reached the train tracks that they'd followed on their adventure. A raven squawked in the dark sky and flew directly above the train tracks and headed back in the direction Beca and Chloe had came from; back to Overlook Park. Beca felt her feet follow the train tracks back almost automatically.

After walking for some time, Beca soon began to hear the same sound of rushing river water and looked up to see the cliff top with the viewfinders where Chloe and her had played their improv game, stole that wine, and where something unknown had happened to make Chloe flip. Further up the path, she saw the campsite, park benches, and the top of the weeping willow tree from that afternoon and from her dream. Walking further, she came to a clearing in the trees and sure enough, there she was. She could only see the back of her as Chloe was turned to face the tree, but she felt a pang of longing in her chest. Waves of red hair shifted gently in the cool evening breeze as Chloe stood underneath the tall willow, looking up at it with her arms folded; it's twisting, weeping branches looming above her. Beca cautiously walked closer to her, and air between them feeling heavy. She had never felt this drawn to anyone or anything. Chloe must have felt it too because Beca saw her head tilt down and then turn to look back at her.

"You came." Chloe's voice was quiet and still full of sadness. "I'm glad."

"Hey, I couldn't let the day end with... whatever this afternoon was." Beca walked closer to her but made sure to give Chloe space, this time around. She stopped a few feet behind her.

"Beca, I want to talk to you about something, but..." Beca noticed that Chloe's cheeks were wet with tears. Chloe closed her eyes and continued. "I don't know how to talk about this."

"You don't have to tell me anything you don't want to."

Chloe paused and Beca heard her take a deep breath. "You remember that guy we saw under this tree with that woman?"

Beca frowned in confusion. "The ones who were making out?"

"That was my dad."

"Oh. Alright."

Chloe turned around to face Beca properly. "And that woman was definitely _not_ my mom."

Beca felt a sudden surge of sadness towards Chloe. She hadn't thought anything of it when she had made fun of that couple making out under the willow tree during the spying game, and now she felt awful for it. "Oh..."

"The worst part is, I'm not surprised. I've felt like my dad's been lying about something for a while. I just..." Chloe's voice broke through the tears, "I didn't know what it was." Chloe paced as she explained, "So when I saw he got a text from an unknown number... asking him to meet... I thought I could catch him or something..."

"I'm so sorry, Chloe. I don't... I don't know what to say." Beca hated herself for not being good with people... or with things. She wanted to make Chloe feel better so badly, it hurt her.

"Neither do I." Chloe paused for a moment. "Beca, I love my dad. I love him, and I never want to see his fucking face **ever** again." The anger within Chloe's voice resonated within Beca. Dark, stormy blue eyes looked into hers before looking sadly to the ground.

Beca gulped. "When my dad died, I was so mad at him." Beca couldn't believe the words that were spilling from her own mouth. She'd never disclosed anything about how she felt after her dad died. Maybe that was half the problem. "For months I felt... wrong, because half the time I thought of him, I wanted to scream. And the other half, I forgot—"

"—forgot that anything had changed." Chloe finished Beca's sentence without looking up from the ground. She brought out that same crumpled photo that Beca had found in Chloe's backpack earlier that day in the drama club room; the one of a younger Chloe, smiling next to her dad. "It's silly, but I've carried this photo around with me for years. It's from Mount Hood." Chloe passed the photograph to Beca, turning to face away from Beca as she continued. "My dad took me hiking there when I was ten. It started raining, and I fell and broke my arm three miles from the car." Beca thought back to Chloe noticing her scar from her own broken arm earlier that day. She looked down at the younger Chloe in the photograph who was grinning back at her as Chloe spoke. "I remember screaming like I was gonna die. But my dad... He carried me down the mountain. I still remember the smell of his coat, and how calm he was, and the sound of his voice, and..." Beca noticed that Chloe was starting to break down as more tears streamed down her face. As much as Beca wanted to move closer and comfort her, she had learned her lesson from earlier. Chloe needed space right now, and Beca let her continue. "He was just so strong, you know? I felt safe."

"You trusted him." Beca responded softly.

"Completely."

"Here." Beca handed back the photograph Chloe had given her.

Chloe took it back and looked to the ground. "Beca... I owe you an apology."

"Hey, we were both kind of the 'Queen of Shitty.'"

"No, I mean it." Chloe turned to face Beca properly. "Whatever's going on between us, it's... intense, and new, and awesome, and..." Ocean eyes that sparkled with tears looked back at Beca desperately. Beca's heart raced a thousand miles a minute and she was instantaneously drawn to the thought and longing of Chloe's lips on hers. "You had the courage to tell me that you feel it too, and I treated you like shit."

"Courage? I don't know if I'd call it that. More like... blind desperation." Beca scoffed, wincing at the flashback of her pouring her heart out to Chloe in the junkyard, "And maybe a slight buzz from that wine."

"I just want you to know... I'm lucky you were with me today." Chloe paused and looked at Beca with such sincerity that Beca couldn't hide her smile. "You're a badass, Beca Mitchell."

"What—"

"Remember that asshole bouncer who wouldn't let you into the mill to see Firewalk? You talked your way right past him."

Beca was shocked. "You saw that?"

"And those skeevy douchebags who followed you upstairs? You dropped that one guy with a bottle to the face."

"Only because you showed up at the last minute and—"

Chloe interrupted her. "—and what about Aubrey and her posse when they came at you this morning? You got right in Posen's face and called her out."

"That was pretty sweet, actually." Beca smiled at the memory of Aubrey getting flustered that morning.

"See? You're the real thing, Beca. I don't know _anyone_ like you." Beca felt as if her heart was swelling in size with every word that Chloe said. "Plus you came along with me, no questions asked."

"Well, I don't really need a good reason to ditch school."

Chloe sighed. "I guess tomorrow there'll be hell to pay."

Beca laughed nervously. "My mom might skip grounding and just go straight to the death penalty."

"And my dad will **definitely** punish me with... with..." Chloe closed her eyes tightly at the thought.

Beca felt her blood boil at the thought of Chloe's dad hurting her anymore in any way, shape, or form. "Fuck your dad."

"Fuck him."

"What I wouldn't give to leave this place and never look back..."

Chloe's bright eyes looked to Beca, filled with hope. "What's stopping us?"

"Us?" Beca need to make sure she heard Chloe correctly. "Are you serious?"

"There's nothing keeping me here. Not anymore."

Both Beca's heart and mind raced at the thought of running away with Chloe. Maybe she'd fallen asleep at the junkyard for longer than she'd thought. "So if I came to you tomorrow and told you to pack your bags—"

"—I'm serious. Let's do it, Beca. Let's leave this place forever." Chloe smiled sincerely at Beca through the tears and Beca suddenly felt that this was it; she had longed for something else for so long; she had longed for some _one_ else. And now, the most popular, adored girl in school was telling her that she actually wanted to run away with her.

The answer was simple. "Okay."

Chloe smiled at Beca before reaching for the photograph again. She looked down at it and paused. "Can I borrow your lighter?" Beca pulled her lighter out of her back pocket. "Thank you." Chloe stepped away from Beca sadly and started walking towards the trashcan next to the tree. Chloe clicked the lighter twice with her thumb before it ignited. She held the photograph above the trashcan and took the lighter to one corner of it. She held it in her hand, staring down at it through hazy blue eyes stained red from tears. After it had been alight for a few moments, Chloe dropped the burning photograph into the bin and the contents of it lit up; creating a warm glow in contrast with the dark forest surrounding Beca and Chloe. They stood watching the calm flames, Beca turning to look at Chloe and her waves of fiery red hair and stormy eyes; her skin glowing because of the fire.

"Come on." Beca said softly to Chloe whilst starting to walk away, letting her know that they should probably get away from the burning trashcan before anyone caught them. Chloe stayed rooted to the spot; staring at the burning bin as if she was in a trance. Her eyes looked as if they were burning in rage with the fire. Before Beca could say anything else, something erupted inside Chloe. She saw her run to the trashcan and kick it over. Hard. Flames spread quickly across the ground and raced towards the weeping willow tree.

Chloe **_screamed._**

The fire **_roared._**

The willow tree was ablaze. The scream had made the flames soar and brought wind rushing past them both as the fire roared. The sound pierced Beca's ears as heat erupted in front of them; Chloe's cry was like the call of a bird of prey in the desert. Beca could only watch helplessly, she couldn't believe her eyes or ears. Chloe put her hands to her knees, bending over and crying desperately. Beca approached her, but before she could say or do anything, Chloe screamed again at the tree, bringing wind and leaves flying past them and engulfing the tree with fire even more so. Chloe stood and watched the tree in a trance, before regaining her breath and switching her look to fear upon realising what she'd done. Beca stood in awe.

Chloe was right when she said that there'd be hell to pay tomorrow.

* * *

Flames roared through the forest and created an orange glow throughout the night sky in Acadia Bay.

A tall, blonde tattooed guy walked out his RV that was parked up outside the old mill where Firewalk had played the night before. A dark-haired skeevy guy who was with him put a bottle of beer to his lips and as they stopped to witness the thick, black smoke billowing up from the trees nearby.

* * *

Cynthia-Rose laughed with Benji as he showed her something from his comic. They were chilling on a bench outside their dorms when Cynthia-Rose stopped and looked to the forest visible from the grounds of Barden. She nudged him to make him aware and they both looked to the fire in awe.

* * *

Aubrey lay on her bed in her dorm room at Barden whilst Jessica and Ashley were sat on her bedroom floor flicking through magazines and painting their nails. Aubrey was lost in thought before she became distracted by a deep orange glow in the night sky outside her bedroom window. She ushered her two friends over as they looked on with shock at the forest fire.

* * *

Beca's mom walked across the front yard and up to the car of her boyfriend which was parked outside. He was leaning over the bonnet, switching tools every now and then to fix up his car. She passed him a drink and looked to the horizon with fear and worry as the forest fire roared above the trees. David approached her and put an arm around her to comfort her as they could only watch the forest fire burn helplessly. She worried for her daughter.

* * *

Outside the entrance to Barden Academy, Chloe's dad liaised with police officers and Principal Wells, their faces filled with concern. His eyes lit up with fear as he saw the looming forest fire above the school grounds. He worried for his daughter.

* * *

An auburn haired woman with a tattoo sleeve down one arm sat on a bench and took a drag from her cigarette; her white dress glowed from the light of the flames. She watched the fire burn away right next to her as she sat on the picnic bench at Overlook Park. She smiled at the fire as the cigarette smoke left her lips.


	9. I can't be bothered with the teachers

**Chapter 9: _"I can't be bothered with the teachers"_**

* * *

Beca heaved open her bedroom window after scrambling up onto the roof of the garage, using the car and trashcans as leverage as quietly as she could. She pushed one leg in through the open window and tried her hardest not to knock anything from off of her desk. She pulled the rest of her body through, bumping her head on the window with a hushed _"Shit."_ Once she was finally inside, she turned to pull the window down and looked towards the glaring orange glow which coated the bottom of the night sky. As if on cue, Beca's phone buzzed in her pocket.

 ** _URGENT – FIRE WEATHER UPDATE._**  
 ** _Forest Watch, Acadia Bay, OR. 1:06 AM PST SAT 5 MAY 2012._**  
 ** _Active Class D wildfire. Not contained._**  
 ** _Use caution. Check local media for road closures._**

 _"Holy shit."_ Beca studied the automated fire alert message that glared at her from her phone in her darkened bedroom. Hopefully adventures with Chloe wouldn't always result in something as extreme as a freaking forest fire. Her phone buzzed once more.

 ** _Made it into my house without seeing either of my parents!_**

Beca felt a subtle fluttering in her stomach the moment she saw Chloe's name appear on the screen for the very first time.

 _Sweet!_

 _You were born to be a spy_

 _Jumping out of trains and shit_

 ** _Oh man. We'd make such a great team._**

 ** _No enemy viewfinder would ever be safe from you again._**

 _Haha, meanwhile you're deep undercover as a passed out person_

Beca laughed as she kicked off her shoes, thinking back to being completely dumbfounded by Chloe as she 'fainted'; Beca getting her own back by almost making her receive mouth-to-mouth from a complete stranger. Beca threw off her t-shirt and lay back on her bed in just her jeans and bra. She vowed to have a very hot and very long shower first thing tomorrow morning. Her phone buzzed again.

 ** _Today was unforgettable_**

 ** _Some of it sucked._**

Beca thoughtfully read over Chloe's words, thinking back to the day they had spent together. From jumping out of trains, to forest fires, to the dream of her dad, to opening up to Chloe in a way she'd never opened up to anyone else. Unforgettable was definitely one word for it...

 _Yeah..._

 ** _You know what doesn't suck?_**

 _What?_

 ** _You._**

Beca felt herself subconsciously grip her phone tighter. Her eyes read over those three letters over and over again until they began to blur in the darkness of her room. It was such a simple text, but it made her palms sweat and she found herself suddenly longing to be back in Chloe's presence again instantly. She wondered what her bedroom was like, wondered if Chloe was laying in the darkness also smiling at her phone, wondered what thoughts were going through Chloe's head right at this moment in time.

She thought back to those lips that her eyes were drawn to.

She thought of ocean blue eyes that looked down at her as if they held all the answers.

Soft hands that made her heart race when they brushed her check, searched her palm and led her wherever Chloe wanted her to go...

Beca felt something flow through her body; it felt hot and made her lips tingle as she felt the energy bubble and surge. She bit her bottom lip. She recognised a heat beginning to build between her legs. She placed one hand on her exposed stomach to try and calm her down; gripping her bare skin and trying her best to filter her thoughts. She turned her head to the side, acknowledging the space in her double bed which she suddenly wished was occupied by one person and one person only. She sighed heavily. Beca searched herself for a good reply to Chloe's text, but failed. She kept it discreet.

 _You also don't suck_

 ** _I know._**

Beca sighed. She was both emotionally and physically exhausted from the events that had happened that day. She rolled over and buried her head in her pillow, waiting for the rush of arousal to fade. She and Chloe had only just properly met each other, and she hated herself for becoming so hooked so quickly. She was terrified of fucking up and scaring Chloe away. She hadn't ever felt like this; never had the heat flow through her so surely at the mere thought of someone. The only other person she had ever been physically intimate with was Jesse, and that was only really for her to 'test the waters' and see what all the fuss was about.

Not once had she ever felt longing like she currently felt for Chloe. _"Yeah right, Beca... you and every other student."_ She punished herself for letting herself act like every other student that crushed on Chloe Beale. But... Chloe had told her that she felt it _too_ ; after everything that had happened, she said she felt something special was happening between them too. Or, in Chloe's words, whatever was happening between them was intense, and new, and _awesome_.

She looked over at the texts her mom had sent her whilst she had been at junkyard. Tomorrow morning, there was going to be hell to pay in their meeting with the Principal. She sleepily typed a text to Chloe.

 _We should probably sleep, got Wells tomorrow morning_

 ** _Yeah. My fault_**

 _Worth it_

* * *

"Ms. Mitchell. How good of you to join us."

Principal Wells' voice was stern as he spoke, addressing Beca's mom as she rushed into the Principal's office; Beca walking begrudgingly in behind her. She looked around the room. Chloe was already sitting in the chair on the other side of the Principal's desk; Chloe's parents were standing behind her whispering to each other with concerned faces.

"I'm so sorry we're late. My... my shift ran late at the diner and then... just... sorry." Beca's mom apologised quickly and was obviously embarrassed. She looked awkwardly over at Chloe's parents. Chloe's dad looked particularly disapproving in his smart polo-neck shirt which was tucked into his beige trousers. Chloe's mom held a worried look on her face; her dark hair was cut into a neat bob that stopped just above her shoulders.

Chloe's eyes were fixed on Beca as she took the other seat next to her. Beca looked at her and couldn't help but smile at her, despite the Principal's frown that hadn't left her since she'd walked into the room. It had been less than 12 hours since they had last seen each other but _boy_ , had she missed that ocean eyed look that Chloe gave her.

"Let us proceed." The Principal twiddled his thumbs; his voice was deep and almost booming. "One of you here is new to the Barden disciplinary process..." He looked to Chloe, before swivelling in his chair to look at Beca, "and the other is all too familiar with it." Beca saw Chloe look to the Principal then back to her out of the corner of her eye. Principal Wells continued. "Barden's code of conduct is built upon a foundation of mutual respect, meant to foster an environment conducive to education and enrichment..." Beca had heard those words way too many times before. The Principal got up from his chair to look at of his office window, continuing to list Barden's code of conduct. It's fair to say that Beca's mind started to wander pretty quickly.

 _"Okay, reality check time. Yesterday did_ _ **actually**_ _happen. I ditched school with Chloe Beale... and then Chloe really did start that fire."_ She looked over to Chloe whilst she thought to herself. Chloe was nodding along to every word the Principal said, of course. The screaming, angry Chloe with fire in her eyes was nowhere to be seen. Chloe's face couldn't stop Beca's heart from swelling and her mind flashed back to all the events that had happened the day before. Chloe caught her looking and smiled back at her discreetly. _"And that was right after we actually agreed to run away together... right?"_

"Are you paying attention to me, Beca?" The Principal's voice jolted her from her thoughts.

"Um, what?" Beca's daydreaming and smile to Chloe was caught red-handed.

"Ms. Mitchell, the last time we met, an agreement was brokered. Do you recall what that was?"

Beca knew that it was probably a rhetorical question. "Uh... don't screw up again?"

"'Screw up' is merely the by-product, Ms. Mitchell. What's at issue is your attitude." Beca wished he didn't have to enunciate every single word so damn much. "We agreed that you would rededicate yourself to becoming an exemplary Barden citizen."

"We did?" Beca knew she should try her hardest to at least appear compliant, but she felt like she already knew exactly where this conversation was going.

"In the event that you were unable or unwilling to do so, we also agreed that it would become pertinent to reassess your future status at Barden Academy." He sat back in his office chair across the desk from Beca and Chloe. "Despite all this, you engaged in the following actions yesterday: Insubordinate language. Implications of drug-related activities—"

"—what does that mean?" Beca's mom interrupted him, she was shocked at the accusation and her tone of voice reassured Beca that her mom was on her side and standing up for her.

Beca chimed in. "Yes, what _does_ that mean?"

"It means Ms. Mitchell has developed a reputation as a user of marijuana, and I would strongly recommend that you take a thorough look through her room at home." Beca loathed the smug tone of his voice, and internally panicked at the thought of her room being searched. She kept a stash of pot underneath her bed in a shoebox; along with her music, it helped her deal with the tough days when she didn't want to face the world. "Shall I continue?" Beca sighed exasperated. "Witnesses said that you were involved in bullying Aubrey Posen."

"The hell I was! She has been giving me crap since the day I met her! I was sticking up for myself." Beca couldn't help herself.

Beca's mom stood her ground with Beca. "Say what you will about my daughter, but she is _not_ a bully."

Beca felt warmth inside hearing her mom speak out for her. "Maybe you should be talking to Aubrey instead of me. You know, the girl who actually did what you're accusing me of."

"We are here to discuss your actions, Ms. Mitchell. Not Ms. Posen's."

"Mom, you know this is all bullshit, right?" Beca looked up to her mom who was standing behind her chair.

"I'm beginning to suspect that myself." Her mom folded her arms over hair chest and frowned at the Principal. _Yes mom._

"I am sorry you feel that way. But your daughter's misbehaviour is real and serious." He looked to Beca and scowled, "and yet, even with your prodigious disciplinary record, Ms. Mitchell, we needn't discuss any of it."

"We needn't?"

Beca was pretty sure she could see a vein in his forehead about to burst. "No. Because you severed your relationship with Barden the minute you left school grounds without permission."

Chloe's head spun to look at Beca with anxiousness. Beca saw her frowning and fiddling with the bracelet on her wrist. Beca's heart began to speed up with nervousness, realizing how serious this might actually be this time. "What does that mean?"

"It means you've forced my hand. This is a consequence of your actions, Beca. I have no choice but to—"

"—I made her do it."

"What?" Every single person in the room besides Beca looked to Chloe and questioned her in unison.

Beca took a moment longer to process what Chloe had just said. "...what?!"

"Yesterday was all me. My idea. I... I was having a bad day. I needed to blow off some steam and I took it too far." Chloe's face was full of disappointment and her voice was sincere as she spoke to Principal Wells. She turned to face Beca with the most apologetic look Beca had ever seen. "Beca tried to talk me out of it. 'I've been down that road,' she told me. 'You're better than this.' But I wouldn't listen." _What was happening right now?_ "See, Beca was afraid I'd get in trouble or hurt, so she came with me. But only to keep me safe." Beca looked back at her, completely shocked. "I'm just sorry you got caught up in it, Beca. That you allowed me to drag you down to my level. Can you forgive me?"

"For what? You didn't do anything." Beca couldn't believe the words that had just come from Chloe. Why was she putting herself in harm's way like this?

"Your willingness to stand by me even now is truly inspiring." Beca could easily see why Chloe had been cast in the lead role of Barden's play. Chloe was really damn incredible at this.

"Beca, is this true?" Beca's mom put a hand to her shoulder.

Chloe answered on her behalf. "It's true."

Beca thought to herself, completely bewildered. _Um... totally not true. She really is an amazing actress._

The Principal pushed for Beca to respond. "Ms. Mitchell?"

There was no way that Beca was going to let Chloe lie and take the fall for her. Even if she was the honor student with the perfect grades and (mostly) perfect behaviour and Beca was the school reject who was about to get kicked out, she couldn't let Chloe take the whole blame. "Complete and total bullshit."

"Beca!" Her mom's disappointed voice sounded from over her shoulder.

"You're an awesome actor, Chloe. You almost convinced me, and I _know_ you're lying. But come on." Chloe looked to her with an exasperated look on her face as Beca spoke.

Principal Wells was visibly aggravated. "Ms. Mitchell, Ms. Beale: one of you girls better start telling me what actually happened. Now."

Beca turned to Chloe and looked her dead in the eyes. "It's fine, _really_."

"You're right." Chloe sighed deeply "The truth is... I didn't convince Beca to ditch with me. I practically _forced_ her to."

"Oh, come _on._ " Beca still couldn't believe that Chloe was attempting to take the blame for this. Sure, Chloe had asked her to ditch Barden. But skipping class was something Beca was all too used to; it was just nice to have an accomplice for once. And no one in their right mind would need to ever be _forced_ to spend time with Chloe Beale.

"I was feeling angsty and reckless. Tired of living up to the perfect image everybody expects out of me." Chloe continued with the bullshitting, "I told Beca that if she didn't come with me, I might do something crazy."

Chloe's mom was the one to interrupt this time. "Like what?" She looked to her daughter flabbergasted.

Chloe sighed. "Graffiti... alcohol... maybe even abuse _marijuana_." Beca saw Chloe's parents look to each other in horror. "I didn't, thank god. But that's only because Beca was there. She looked out for me, even after I threatened her. I told her I would blame her for everything if she didn't come along." Chloe kept up the acting, never faltering the entire time, "I knew it would be easy, given all the prejudices against her."

The Principal looked completely lost. "Um, now—"

 _"What the hell is Chloe doing? She is risking her ass for me,"_ Beca thought and was lost for words. "This is some _serious_ bull—"

"—'Beca,' I told her, 'If you get blamed for this, you will be in serious trouble. **Serious**. Trouble. Whereas I, having a perfect record at Barden, will not." Beca quickly clocked that Chloe was subtly pleading with her subliminally using her words; pleading with Beca to let Chloe take the blame as she wouldn't be in as much trouble as Beca. "'Think about it,' I told her. 'And don't do anything you'll regret.'" Chloe paused, lingering a pleading look at Beca. "Anyway, that's what really happened." She turned back in her seat to face the Principal.

"Oh, Chloe..." Mrs. Beale's voice echoed disappointment in her daughter.

Principal Wells put both hands on his desk and stood up. "I'm glad we have finally gotten to the bottom of this matter, though the revelation brings me no pleasure." He coughed awkwardly, reluctant to punish Chloe. "Ms. Beale, I am disappointed in you."

Chloe hung her head in shame. "I understand."

"This being your first infraction in no way reduces its severity. Still, we will not be suspending you at this time." The Principal sighed heavily, "But you have squandered our trust. You will no longer be my administrative assistant, period." _Because of course Chloe was the Principal's admin assistant._ "And you will no longer be involved in Barden's performance of The Tempest."

Chloe's eyes grew wide and she gasped with shock. Beca was almost certain she just witnessed Chloe's heart break into a thousand pieces right in front of her. "No..."

Beca knew that she couldn't let this happen to Chloe. "But the performance is _tonight_."

The Principal looked to Beca, scoffing. "For someone so aware of our school calendar, Ms. Mitchell, I would expect fewer absences on your record."

It was Chloe's dad's turn to chime in. "Ray, she loves that show. Since this is her first infraction, don't you think—"

"—Mr. Beale. I don't tell you how to run the District Attorney's office." Chloe's dad's face showed the face of someone not used to being interrupted. "Please don't tell me how to run my school." He folded his arms at Chloe and her parents. "There's a reason we have understudies, for all circumstances, accidental and deliberate. I'm sure your understudy—"

"—Aubrey Posen." Chloe recalled her understudy with distain and balled her fists in her lap.

"Yes, I'm sure Aubrey Posen will do fine."

Beca couldn't help herself, "That is such—"

"—what was that Ms. Mitchell?"

Beca's mom butted in for Beca before her daughter do any further damage, "Beca is upset for her friend. But we are **both** grateful that she is not going to be unduly blamed for what happened."

"There is plenty of blame to go around. Beca's future at Barden will be discussed next." Principal Wells frowned and turned to look at Beca, "Unless you had something to add first, Ms. Mitchell?"

Beca needed to think and act _fast_. She looked over at Chloe and saw cerulean eyes filled with disappointment. There was no way Chloe was going to miss playing the lead role of Prospera in the play but, thanks to Chloe's acting skills, Beca was going to have to go down in flames if she wanted to fix this. _Here goes nothing..._

"Get your head out of your ass, Wells." Beca stormed up from her seat and brought her hands down onto his desk.

"Beca!" Her mom had tried to fix the situation as best as she could; Beca knew it was going to hurt her mom but she knew that all that mattered right now was helping Chloe. She could attempt to patch things up with her mom another time. Her mom was used to her screwing up now, after all.

"You seriously think yesterday was Little Miss Sunshine's idea?" Beca threw a wave to Chloe whilst looking at Principal Wells.

"Ms. Beale has accepted her responsibility." He began to sit down in his chair to signify the end of discussion.

 _To hell she has._ "Don't you have the slightest idea how this works? You don't wake up one morning and decide to be an outlaw."

"Chloe confessed. Are you calling her a liar?" The Principal narrowed his eyes at Beca.

Beca scoffed in retaliation, "I confess that she can act like a motherfucker. You just bought her crap hook, line and sinker."

Chloe tried to stop her. "Beca, you don't have to do this. It's okay, really—"

"—don't tell me what to do! I'm not one of your sycophants." Beca felt bad going against Chloe, but she knew that this was the only way to fix things, "I'm a lone wolf, and you're Little Red Riding Hood. Welcome to grandmother's house, bitch."

Beca's mom looked shocked and drained, "Beca, this can't be you. Apologise this instant!"

"Fine, Mr. Wells." Beca sighed. "I'm sorry for exposing flaws in your campus security. This must be very embarrassing for you."

Mr. Wells had had it. "I've heard enough! Chloe, you were clearly trying to cover for your classmate. I appreciate the motive, but I appreciate honesty more. Is that understood?"

Chloe looked down to her lap. "Yes, sir."

"You will not be removed from the play." Chloe breathed a sigh of relief.

Beca sat down in her chair, relieved. She turned to Chloe. "Was that so hard?"

"Thank you." Chloe said quietly, reluctance in her voice.

"And Ms. Mitchell." Beca winced at the condescending tone of the Principal's voice, "I came into today's meeting planning to suspend you for the rest of the school year, with a chance for reinstatement in the fall."

She gulped. "And now?"

"You are expelled."

Beca closed her eyes as those words thundered down on her.

"What?! No..." Beca's mom couldn't believe what she'd heard and Beca felt awful immediately; she knew this would hurt her mom tremendously.

"I will have campus security escort you to clean out your locker. You may wait outside my office until he arrives." He placed both hands on his desk and stood up, "That is all. Good day, Ms. Mitchell. Mr. and Mrs. Beale."

"Ray." Chloe's dad nodded a farewell as they turned to exit the Principal's office.

Chloe reluctantly got up and left the office, following her parents. Beca walked behind Chloe. "I'm sorry." Chloe turned and quickly whispered to Beca.

Beca leant in to whisper back. "Nothing to be sorry about."

"Meet me at the junkyard later?"

"You bet." Beca quickly whispered in agreement before they went their separate ways.

Beca's mom approached Chloe's parents. "I didn't get the chance to introduce myself. I'm Joyce."

"Mrs. Price. I'm Rose." Chloe's mom shook her hand and signalled to her husband, "This is James. I'm sorry we had to meet like this."

"No, I'm sorry. I'm sure for you this is an unusual circumstance." She threw a disappointed look in Beca's direction.

Chloe's dad shifted uncomfortably on the spot. "We really should be going. Nice to meet you." He ushered for Chloe to come with them with a stern look on his face. They left the doors of Barden; Chloe took a final look over her shoulder to Beca as she did so.

Beca smiled, but the moment was interrupted by her mom walking towards her with disappointment in her eyes. "Mom, I'm—"

"—I'll see you in the parking lot." She spoke with grief and exhaustion.

She turned towards the exit of Barden without another word, and Beca was left on her own in the empty corridor.


	10. Always trying to shape the way I act

**A/N:** Hello new followers and thank you for all the faves/comments so far! I really, really appreciate it. I would love to hear if you have any particular requests/preferences for where you'd like this story to go next :) I have a lot of ideas for this fic, but always love to hear feedback/wishes from readers!

* * *

 **Chapter 10: _"Always trying to shape the way I act"_**

* * *

Beca was left on her own until she heard a familiar voice from behind her. It was the dorkiest, least threatening campus security guy ever. He played in a band, kind of looked like a turtle, and was one of the few people Beca could interact with at Barden without immediately wanting to put her headphones on. "Hey Beca. I'm supposed to walk you out."

Beca sighed. "Just you and me, hey, Theo?"

"Fuck 'em. Bunch of fascists." They walked together down the hall towards Beca's locker. "Hey uh, just wanted to say... it sucks what's happening to you."

"Thanks, Theo."

"You're gonna be missed."

Beca reached her locker and opened it; examining the contents of it for the last time. She didn't really care for anything that was inside it, except her secret stash. _"Might as well grab my emergency joint while I'm here."_ She mentally noted to herself. She looked at her locker door which was covered in doodles and band stickers. At the very top was a photo of Bongo, the photo of her cat that Chloe had apparently noticed when she'd walked by Beca's locker in the past. Beca wondered how many times Chloe Beale had actually noticed her, and wondered whether her and Chloe would have become friends sooner if she hadn't always kept her headphones on and ignored most of the world. She looked and sighed at the photo of Bongo as she carefully took the photograph down from her locker and put it in her pocket. Her dad had got Bongo from a rescue shelter years ago, before he was run over by a car. Beca understood the moral of that story all too well: no one's ever really rescued.

On the inside of her locker was a list of names graffitied onto the side with the name of the owner and the year they occupied that locker.

 ** _Carl Brekenridge '07_**

 ** _3 Leah Tomkins '08 3_**

 ** _Fred Tran! '09_**

 ** _Ellie Ryerson xoxo '10_**

 ** _Aaron Vaughn '11 GO BIGFOOTS!_**

Beca reached for a pen and signed hers.

 ** _Beca Mitchell '12... almost!_**

At the back of her locker was a _Screaming Females_ poster from a gig she had gone to with Jesse. _Best gig of '11, period._ She unstuck it from the metal wall, exposing a small hole at the very back where the locker dipped. She reached in for the joint and grabbed it, but realised that all was left was a roll of empty paper. Unravelling it, she looked down at the note scrawled on it.

 ** _Sorry! Had to borrow your stash_**

 ** _Desperate times, you know?_**

 ** _I PROMISE I'll get you back next week!_**

 ** _\- Justin_**

That really was the last straw for Beca's ties to Barden. She banged her fist on her locker as she swung the door closed. Beca looked up and down the corridor. _"Fuck every inch of this place."_ She needed to let off some steam before that challenge of facing her mom out in the parking lot.

She walked back over to Theo. "Uh... bathroom, then I'm out. Cool?"

Theo sighed, knowing that he had always been way too easy on Beca. "Okay, but try to make it fast, will you?"

Beca entered the girl's bathroom down the hall and leant back on the door after it had closed behind her, dropping her head back onto it and sighing. She kicked open the doors of each bathroom stall individually to check that she was alone. She grabbed the black marker from her pocket, put a knee up onto one of the sinks (damn her height) and starting writing in thick black lines all over the mirrors. A fuck you to the Principal. A fuck you to Aubrey Posen and all of her minions. A fuck you to her mom's boyfriend; to students who laughed at her; to the world. Beca didn't stop writing on the walls of the entire bathroom until she was completely satisfied.

She left the bathroom nonchalantly and began walking back over to Theo who was waiting for her. The door swung closed behind her as she saw, of all people, Aubrey walking straight towards her and into the girl's bathroom. She brushed past Beca with a smug look on her face when she saw that she was being escorted out of Barden by campus security. It's safe to say that her smile didn't last long; Aubrey opened the door to the bathroom, and Beca couldn't hide her grin when she heard Aubrey gasp with shock from behind her.

* * *

"Later, Theo."

"Later." Theo nodded back at Beca and waved goodbye once they reached the parking lot. He reluctantly headed back to Barden. _Dude really needs to get a new job._

Beca felt the vibration of her phone in her back pocket. She smiled looking down at the name 'Chloe' on her screen. She could get used to this.

 ** _Principal Wells blows. That meeting hella sucked._**

 _You're HELLA weird_

 ** _YOU ARE_**

 _Seriously, it's ok. Yesterday was worth it_

Beca sighed. Yesterday really _was_ worth it and, even though there were definitely a few things (to say the least) that she would do differently, she would still happily do it all over again. Beca surveyed the parking lot in order to find her mom. Her heart sank when she saw her standing next to a blue muscle car parked in the corner next to a man with a buzzcut. _David._ Awesome _._ She followed the parking lot sidewalk around to the right, and caught sight of Jesse's car parked up with him leaning on it; doing something on his phone. They'd been at school with each other since they were in kindergarten... until today. Beca approached him.

"Hey, Jesse."

"BeCAW! What brings you to campus on a Saturday?" Beca always felt herself lucky that she lived near enough to stay at home and get the bus to Barden rather than stay in the dorms on campus (in addition to how much more expensive it was to board there); mainly because it made it so much easier to leave behind at the end of every day and ditch class whenever she needed to. "Nothing good, I bet."

"I... was expelled." Beca replied to Jesse, flatly. She couldn't wait to get off of campus and go meet Chloe at the junkyard to forget this morning ever happened.

"Wait, really? Holy shit..." Jesse gasped, and laughed out of shock.

"I know. I'm surprised it took this long, too."

Jesse looked nervous and tilted his head to the side, "Do you want a hug?"

"Dude, let's not make a big deal out of this." Beca felt bad, but a hug was the last thing she needed right now. Unless it was a hug from a certain mysterious redhead, that is.

"Oh... sorry. Yeah, of course." Jesse backtracked, embarrassed. He paused and sighed, "Was Chloe Beale involved?"

Beca couldn't help but notice the slightly jealous tone in his voice. "Yeah, she was."

"And let me guess, did she get off scot-free?"

"Well, yeah. But she tried to cover for me." Beca was quick to stick up for Chloe after all they had been through over the past couple of days.

"Uh huh..."

Beca felt awkward and was keen to change the subject. It felt inherently weird to talk about Chloe with a guy she used to fool around with who definitely still wanted to get in her pants. "...aaaanyway. What are you doing in the parking lot?"

"Oh, I was gonna go drive into town to get some breakfast." Jesse hesitated, "Then later I figured I'd go see The Tempest anyway. I was going to text you, actually. I got two tickets in case you changed your mind."

"Uh... thanks, I guess."

"Yeah? So, you in?" Jesse's face lit up, "Might help you take your mind off things."

Beca had to give him credit for his persistence, despite how annoying it was. She thought of Chloe and how much she would _love_ to watch her in her element and own the entire play. She knew how much the show meant to Chloe and she would undoubtedly be amazing in it, but the thought of going to watch her just to spend the evening sat next to Jesse felt... wrong? Inappropriate?

"Still gonna pass, dude. Sorry." Beca let him down and saw his smile fade.

"Oh, that's cool. Maybe we can hang out instead? You wanna come get breakfast with me?" _Dude doesn't know when to give up._

Beca had more important, Chloe-related things to do. "I better go. My mom is waiting to sic her attack moustache on me." Beca pointed over her shoulder to her mom and David at the other end of the parking lot and Jesse eyed them curiously. "Her boyfriend. Don't worry about it. See you around, Jesse."

"Yeah, later."

* * *

Beca approached the blue car belonging to her mom's boyfriend with nervous caution. She saw her mom was fighting to hide her disappointment in her, making Beca feel worse. David turned to confront Beca, his dark eyebrows scowling. "It's about damn time."

"David, please. I'll handle it." Her mom was trying her best to keep her cool. "Beca, after today—"

"—Beca, your mother and I have been talking."

"Can we do this later? I don't think I can handle another fight right now." It was true, Beca felt completely exhausted and it wasn't even 11am yet.

"And who do you expect to handle things for you? Your mother?"

Beca looked to her mom who looked to the ground disappointedly, "This isn't a fight, Beca. This is a conversation. Remember that."

"I don't _need_ a conversation. Not with Sergeant Asshat here." Beca was seriously considering jumping into his car and racing straight to the junkyard. "I just need some space."

"Do _not_ use that language with your mother."

"If my _mother_ has something to say, she will say it to me." Beca couldn't stand the way that he felt free to dominate every conversation and speak for her mom on her behalf.

"She has. The problem is, you don't listen." He rested his hands firmly on his hips. "Maybe if you'd try listening to me instead of fighting me about everything, you might actually learn a thing or two."

Beca scoffed at his response. "What? Like, how to be a soldier?"

"Soldiers put family and future above self and now," David stated with such vindication, it was like he was addressing a new army recruit, "Getting kicked out of school? That's what losers do."

"David! That's out of line." Beca's face shot to her mom; shocked that she was continuing to speak up for her, "You weren't in there with us. Beca was treated unfairly."

David did _not_ like that. "Now you're making excuses for her?! Beca needs to take responsibility."

"I decide what Beca needs, _not_ you." Beca's mom looked to Beca desperately. "You had a _scholarship_ , Beca. Do you know what that means? What kind of opportunity you gave up? Do you wanna work at the diner?"

Beca hated how down her mom was on herself. "There's nothing wrong with waiting tables, mom."

"Beca, I'm proud to wait tables because it means you can be whatever you want to be." Beca's shoulders felt heavy with responsibility and sadness at letting her mom down yet again. "But what _is_ that, Beca? What do you want?"

Beca's mind flashed to images of Chloe and her jumping on that train yesterday, Chloe grabbing her hand, agreeing to run away together... maybe she could try and get a job, save to buy her and Chloe a car and get the hell out of Acadia Bay. But... _shit_ , Beca was in deeper than she thought. How could she know for certain if Chloe had really meant all that? Maybe her mom was right and she truly did give up her only opportunity at ever getting something out of life after getting kicked out of school...

Her mom interrupted her train of thought, still awaiting her response. "...Beca?"

"Maybe... maybe I don't know yet."

"Maybe you've had long enough to figure it out." Her mom's voice was firm and final. "You are going to be home a lot more now, and what I need most of all is for the two of you to start getting along."

David sighed, a hint of surrender obviously apparent. "Beca, I don't want to fight. I care about your mother very much. And you, too." Beca definitely hadn't ever heard him state about _caring_ for her before. "I'd like for us to start over. What do you say?"

Beca was tired. She was tired of always fighting and tired of feeling like an outsider in her own home. Right now, all she wanted to do was forget the world and, instead of drowning out the world with music or smoking pot, all she wanted to do was forget the world with Chloe by her side.

"Sure. Reset button pressed."

"I am glad to hear it." Her mom's boyfriend smiled at her in probably the first time like, ever. "From now on, I will be assisting your mother in a few areas. Like making sure that you are no longer abusing drugs or alcohol." Beca took a deep breath, regretting for what she'd just signed up for. "Beca, I'd like you to empty your pockets and place all your belongings on the trunk of the car."

"What the fuck?" Beca wasn't sure she'd just heard right. Had they agreed to start making amends or had she just agreed to have her civil liberties taken away from her?

"If we are going to start over, we have to know that you are not abusing drugs. If you're not, you should be eager for the chance to prove it."

"Mom..." Beca looked to her mom helplessly, and then pointed back to David. "I don't need more discipline from you! I need my mom."

"I know, Beca." Her mom looked away from Beca regretfully. "And I'm sorry, but David feels—"

"—Joyce." David urged her to correct what she'd just said.

"— **we** feel this is the best way to start fresh."

David seemed satisfied. "Let's go, Beca. Quit stalling."

Beca looked to her mom and realised that it was a lost cause; maybe it was a good thing that Justin had nicked her secret stash from her locker after all. "Fine. You wanna see my shit so badly?"

She placed her permanent marker down on the trunk with a thud; the one she'd used to sign her name on her locker and desecrate the girl's bathroom. She grabbed her lighter that Chloe had used which ended up causing a kind of major forest fire, her photograph of Bongo that she'd taken down from her locker along with the folded up _Screaming Females_ poster, her house keys and, finally, her mobile phone. She turned around to face her mom's boyfriend.

"Oh, wait. I almost forgot." She reached into her back pocket, and brought out her middle finger. "You know what sucks even more worse than invading someone's privacy? Doing it for _no reason_."

He raised his eyebrows at her, obviously struggling to come up with a valid response. "You're awfully smug for someone who just got kicked out of school."

"Beca, I'm sorry..." Her mom's face was worried and she obviously felt bad for not speaking up sooner. "Can you forgive me?"

"I forgive _you_ mom, you were under a terrible influence." Beca crossed her arms across her chest.

"I just worry about you, but that's no excuse."

"Joyce, you can't start apologizing now." Beca started picking up her belongings from the trunk as David addressed her mom; obviously hating the sympathy she had shown her. "This will only encourage her."

Her mom flipped. "That's enough out of you, David! We need to start treating each other better, and that means _all_ of us." Beca, as Chloe would say, had _hella_ respect for her mom right now. "We need a new beginning. A new chapter. One that will involve the three of us, together."

Beca took a step back. "What does that mean?"

David stepped towards her. "We both agree that the best thing for everyone at this stage is for me to move in."

Beca felt as if time had stopped for a second and her heart had out of her chest and straight to the ground. Looks like she may be ready to leave Acadia Bay with Chloe sooner than she'd thought. "No _fucking_ way!"

"Beca, after everything that's happened..." Her mom's eyes were desperate. "I'm at a loss. I need help."

"Exactly. We need a firmer hand steering this ship." David was way too smug and too quick to address his role as the _new_ man of the house.

"Talk to me Beca, tell me what you're feeling." Her mom was really pleading with her.

"Mom I... I know I fucked up. I'm a fuckup. I'm sorry." Beca balled her fists to try and hold back tears that she could feel forming. "I've been shutting you out even though I've needed you and you need me, and I know that. But this..." She pointed to her mom and David, "This is _not_ the answer."

"It's the only answer I have, Beca."

Beca looked at the ground, her breath shaking from the lump in her throat. "In a million years, I never thought you'd choose your boyfriend over me. I'm sorry I took that for granted."

Beca's mom shook her head in frustration. "I'm not choosing anyone over anyone else. It's about the three of us having a home _together_."

"It'll be better than you think, Beca. You'll see what a stable home can be like." David went to open the car door and signalled for Beca to get in. Beca walked slowly over to the open car door, dragging her feet a little as she did so. She stopped as she was about to go in. She sighed, and kicked the door closed with her foot. David flipped as if she'd physically hurt his pride and joy. "Hey!"

"There is no home." Beca turned to face her mom. "Not if he's there." She turned on her heels and paced towards the exit of the parking lot, storming past Jesse as she did so. There was only one place in the whole entire world she wanted to be right now, and only one person in the whole entire world she wanted to be with.

Jesse watched Beca leave the parking lot; his face full of concern. "Beca?"

"Beca!" Her mom called after her.

Her mom's boyfriend put an arm around her shoulders to comfort her. "Let her go. She'll come home as soon as her tantrum is over."


	11. Tell me your troubles and doubts

**Chapter 11: _"Tell me your troubles and doubts"_**

* * *

How do you know which way is up when your whole life has been turned upside down?

Beca sighed deeply and looked up the clouds breezing by in the blue midday sky above her, the baseball bat sitting on her lap as she sat on the rusted swingset. She looked around at the old abandoned cars, the metal and rust glinting in the sun, the crate Chloe had been sitting on the day before and the smashed glass of the wine bottle, the spot where she had spilled all that she had held bottled up inside her to Chloe...

She let the sun wash over her and she closed her eyes. Barden was done with her. She couldn't go home anymore... was the junkyard all that she had left?

She got up off the swing and walked slowly through the grassy path in between the abandoned cars. She kicked over an empty beer bottle with a 'clink', kicked her feet to the ground and hummed a tune to herself as she turned the corner.

She stopped in her tracks.

An old, tan Ford pickup truck. Do dents. No smashed windows. From the outside, it was in near perfect condition, if you ignore a little bit of rust and the fact that the door on either side of the truck was a darker brown than the truck itself as if they'd been replaced and never repainted. Inside, the truck only had two the two front seats, but that was all she needed. It was all _they_ needed.

Her dad might have left her life far too early, but he had made sure to share his love of cars and fixing things up with his daughter in that time. Beca smiled to herself.

Getaway car to get the hell out of Acadia Bay with? _Check._

She lifted up the hood of the truck and peered inside. She grimaced at the mess of the engine, but she reached straight for the car battery. If Beca's dad had taught her anything, she knew that there was a real chance she could fix this thing up and make it run again. She lifted out the greasy, exhausted battery from the truck and went in search of a more suitable replacement from the many different old cars that littered the junkyard.

She rounded the junkyard in search of newer, more useful parts. She came across a much newer truck that was missing all the wheels. _Jackpot._ She grabbed the battery from the hood. Laying on the backseat was a rainbow beach towel; Beca grabbed it and knew it would make ideal seat cover to replace the worn out material. She followed the path around the junkyard and found the head of the mannequin she'd hit clean off with the baseball bat after her fight with Chloe yesterday. She thought it was both amazing and terrifying that some she'd just met could make her feel so much. She found some battery powered fairy lights that still seemed to work that had been sitting in a box on an old dryer. Inside the rusted Barden school bus, she found an old shoebox containing both a Polaroid camera and an Elvis bobblehead.

She daydreamed of her and Chloe driving along the coast together in her fixed up truck.

For once, she felt like she could fix something.

* * *

Smoke billowed above the trees where the skyline met the forest, and Beca could barely take her eyes off of it as she sat inside the driver's of her new found truck. The flames emitted an orange glow that was clearly visible even in the midday sun. She found it hard to believe that Chloe had set that fire. Beca didn't think Chloe had meant to start it but she also didn't think that she... didn't mean to?

It was crazy that something so destructive could also be so beautiful, or that a fire that began in a trashcan could grow to light up the entire sky.

She sat up and searched the car for anything useful. Nothing in the sun visors. Nothing underneath the seats. She opened up the glove box, and found a completely sealed pack of cigarettes and an old screwdriver. If she didn't have a set of keys for the truck, then this was the next best thing. She rotated and fiddled with the screwdriver in ignition until she finally felt it hitch. She turned it forward and she felt the engine roll over.

 _Yes._

She tried it again.

 _Come on._

She tried a third time, and the truck gave out on her. Beca breathed an exasperated sigh. This truck needed more love than she could give right now, but she could still try and spruce it up a bit in time for when Chloe arrived in the meantime. She grabbed the rainbow beach towel that she'd left in the truck bed at the back and draped it over the seats. Flickering on the fairy lights, she hung them along the wall above the seats. She flicked off the lid of the old shoebox and placed the Elvis bobblehead on the dashboard and smiled; she felt her phone buzz.

 ** _Beca Mitchell._**

 _I don't suck?_

 ** _You really, really don't._**

Beca's heart soared; something that seemed to be happening a lot lately. She typed back a reply.

 _My mom thinks I do_

 _Dunno if I can stand going home tonight_

Beca played with the bobblehead on the dashboard whilst she awaited Chloe's reply. She shuddered at the thought of her mom's boyfriend moving in with them and she tried to push the thought as far to the back of her mind as she possibly could. She needed to get out of Acadia Bay ASAP; there was no home for her here anyway. She sighed deeply and looked down at her phone, seeing that Chloe still hadn't replied.

 _Still there?_

 ** _Grabbing something from home, then I'll meet you at the junkyard._**

 ** _See you really soon!_**

 _You better_

 ** _Maybe you don't have to go home tonight._**

Beca looked over the last text from Chloe and stared at her phone as a thousand thoughts raced through her mind all at once. What did Chloe mean? Was that a really oddly discreet way of asking her to sleep over, or was Chloe hinting at tonight maybe being the night they get the hell out of Acadia Bay? Beca shook the thoughts from her head. She figured she'd find out soon enough...

Her phone rang in her pocket and her heart almost felt like it had hopped up and into her throat, before she realized it was an unknown number.

"Uh... yeah?"

"Mitchell. It's Luke."

Beca heard the voice of Luke, her part-time pot dealer, on the other end of the phone.

"Oh. Hey Luke." Beca racked her brain to try and think why he'd be calling her. She didn't think she owed him any money, at least... "What's up?"

"Yeah, just checking it to see how you're doing."

"Uh... really?" Beca was immediately confused. Luke always made sure to act as if he was way too cool to have anything to do with Beca.

"No." _Jerk_. "Listen, we've got some business to discuss. Where can we meet?"

"What... what about?" Beca leaned forward in the driver's seat and replied, concerned. "Oh... like, drugs?"

"Mitchell..." Luke's voice was impatient.

"I'm hanging out in the old junkyard north of town."

"A junkyard? That's great. Stay there, I'll see you soon." Luke was quick to speak as if it was something urgent.

"Oh...kay..." Beca was a little weirded out, "I'm not in trouble or anything, right?"

Beca heard Luke let out an aggravated sigh on the other end of the line, "I don't... I don't know! Did you do anything you should be in trouble for?"

Beca couldn't help but scoff a laugh, "Like, in general? Or to you?"

"See you soon." _Bleep, bleep, bleep._

Beca looked at the hung up call on her phone screen and shook her head, trying not get worried about it.

She kicked up her legs and rested her feet on the dashboard, reaching for the sealed pack of cigarettes that had been sitting in the glove box. She wasn't usually one for tobacco and usually kept strictly to weed, but right now she needed something to distract her racing mind and aching heart. She rested a cigarette and reached for her lighter from her pocket, clicking it a few times until it lit. She took a long, slow drag and blew with a sigh. She placed her free hand back behind her head as she rested in the driver's seat. Beca looked around at her new surroundings, surveying the truck. Even with her little decorative fixes, it couldn't hide the fact that it looked like a rusted out shopping cart and probably drove like one too... if it ever _did_ drive.

* * *

Beca stirred and blinked slowly. She looked out of the window of her truck and saw a fire burning outside; the night sky shrouding the junkyard.

"Shit! I slept all day?"

She looked around. She felt completely lost. Beca looked closer at the fire that was burning in front of her, she realised what it was almost immediately.

Her dad's car.

"Dad?"

Her dad was sitting on a log with his back to her; a large black raven perched next to him. He was sat in front of the hood of the flaming car, prodding it and roasting a marshmallow. The wildfire roared a short distance up ahead. She pushed oven the door of the truck and stepped out tentatively, slowing crossing over to where her dad was sitting. There was another log next to him, and Beca felt her body automatically sit down and grab a stick as well.

"Dad? What are doing here?"

He didn't answer. He didn't even look away from her. He kept his gaze fixed on the fire in front of them; his face illuminated from the orange glow. She looked back to her dad who continued to ignore her. "Are you trying to tell me something?"

She reluctantly prodded the marshmallow bag and leant forward, hovering the marshmallow over the fire to roast it. The raven squawked quietly on the log next to her dad.

"Amazing, isn't it?" Her dad finally spoke. "I just can't look away." It was true. Her dad continued to look at the fire with every word he said.

"Sure..." Beca didn't know what to say, or what to do.

"Don't pretend you're not mesmerized, too." Her dad spoke as if it was completely hypnotised by the fire; completely in awe. Beca looked forward as well, captivated by the steady, beautiful orange flames. "See? You're so drawn to it, you don't even realize the danger."

"Danger?" Beca questioned what her dad was trying to tell her.

"Fire blinds us, just like darkness." He framed the forest fire with his hands. "But darkness blinds us with absence. With loss."

Beca turned to look at her dad. "Then what does fire blind with?"

"Beauty." He moved his hands and pointed up at the sky. "But sometimes, there's a greater beauty yet to come."

Beca followed upwards to where her dad was pointing and saw the cloaking black sky. It was full of a million blinking stars. She saw a comet shoot across the sky. "Incredible..."

"Fire is jealous, Beca. It wants all the beauty for itself." His tone was filled with warning. "That's why you need to be careful."

Beca gulped. "Careful of what?"

Beca gasped in shock as her dad finally turned around to face her all this time; the other side of his face was completely burned and scarred. His voice had changed completely and he sounded almost demonic.

 _ **"Of getting burned."**_

* * *

"Beca?"

A muffled voice.

A tap on the window.

Chloe.

Beca opened her eyes slowly as she came around to her senses, realizing that she'd fallen asleep in her truck and it was, in fact, still the middle of the day.

"Hasn't anyone ever told you not to fall asleep with a lit cigarette?" Chloe raised her eyebrows at Beca from outside of the car window, one side of her smile curling up more than the other. "You could start a fire."

Beca looked down at her hand with shock and instinctively threw the cigarette to the floor of the truck, stamping it out as quickly as she could. Beca still felt confused about her dream and just stared out at Chloe dumbfounded, blinking in a daze.

"So..." Chloe perched an elbow on the wing mirror, eyeing up Beca from outside the car with a curious look in her eyes. "...are you gonna let me in, or what?" Chloe tilted her head, and her single blue feather earring flashed in the breeze.

"Sure. I love giving rides to strange drifters," Beca winked, "Hop in."

Chloe flashed her a smile. "Thanks."

Beca watched her with intent curiosity as Chloe picked up a large duffel bag from the floor and slowly made her way around to the passenger side of the truck. Beca's eyes were fixed to her every move; Chloe brushed one hand across the hood of the truck, inspecting it carefully and smiling to herself. Chloe threw her bag into the truck bed at the back of the pickup. She reached the passenger side door, and Beca leaned over to unlock it for her. Chloe climbed up and into the truck, her aqua blue eyes lighting up as she saw the rainbow towel across the two seats and the fairy lights twinkling behind them.

"Damn. You've been busy." Chloe giggled as she flicked the head of the Elvis bobblehead on the dashboard.

"It's nothing." Beca tucked a stray strand of brunette hair back behind her ear. "Just some junk I found lying around."

Chloe looked around and reached out to put a hand on the steering wheel, and Beca tried her best to not make it apparent that Chloe had leaned in close enough for Beca to sigh as she smelt that somewhat sweet, jasmine smell again.

"Beca, this is incredible." Chloe's eyes were practically sparkling with content, "I... I can't believe you found us an escape vehicle already."

"That's the hope. But..." Beca reached up her arm awkwardly and scratched the back of her head, "It doesn't exactly drive yet."

"You'll figure it out." Chloe smiled at Beca warmly, as if she had not an ounce of doubt in Beca. Beca wasn't sure that anyone had ever looked at her in that way. "And while you're at it... We're also gonna need some money. You know, to buy stuff."

"Uh huh. Car and money. Anything else you'd like?" Beca laughed asked sarcastically.

"Well..." Chloe paused in thought for a moment. "Luckily, there's no rush."

Beca nodded and sighed, "True. And no Barden..."

"Holy shit, that Principal's meeting... I'm so sorry Beca." Chloe looked down at her lap with sadness in her eyes. "I can't believe he actually expelled you."

"Why not? No reason to prolong the inevitable." Beca scoffed and fiddled with her shoelace.

"It's definitely Barden's loss." Chloe sighed and looked out of the passenger side window. "You covering for me was... That was amazing. I don't know how to thank you."

Beca shook her head and brushed it off, "Whatever. You tried to cover for me, too"

"Tried and failed you mean?" Chloe looked defeated. "I guess we know who the better liar is."

Beca shrugged. "Maybe my lie was the one he wanted to believe."

"At least the Principal has no idea what really went down with us last night." Chloe looked out at the smoke storming up from the forest. "Shit got pretty wild."

"Chloe..." Beca bit her lip, pausing to think over her words. "That was more than 'pretty wild'. You went absolutely nuts last night. What were you thinking?"

Chloe looked a little taken aback, "I was... I guess I was angry. I didn't expect the whole stupid park to go 'whoosh'! But... now you're in on it too. Accessory after the fact." Chloe winked at Beca and it made Beca's heart heavy. "Unless you tell on me, of course."

"I'm no snitch," Beca hastened to add. "Besides, I'd be way happier going to jail than having to live at home with Dick-tator David. He announced his plans to move in this morning."

Chloe eyed her curiously. "Who's David?"

"He's the guy my mom's seeing, I guess." Beca rested her head back against the seat, feeling emotionally drained just at the mention of him, "It's still... so weird that she's dating someone. My dad and my mom... they were totally in love. You can tell how fucked up she is now, just by how she's settling for David. He's this total hardass ex-military jag-off type. Like, the opposite of my dad."

"Oh, Beca..." Chloe looked into the brunette's dark blue eyes with sincerity. "That's awful. I'm so sorry."

"He acts like I'm some kind of problem to solve."

"That's bullshit." Chloe softly rested a hand reassuringly on Beca's shoulder. "You're not a problem, Beca. You're a person." Beca tilted her head in order to look at Chloe and gave her a sad smile. Chloe smiled back, "You know what we both could use? Therapy."

Beca sat up and cocked a confused eyebrow at Chloe, "Therapy?"

"You start. Kick back and tell me what's bothering you." Chloe sat up too and laid her arms out, ushering Beca to lay across her lap. Beca fumbled awkwardly; unsure where exactly Chloe was going for this. She lifted her legs up and onto the seat; stretching them out across Chloe's lap as she laid her head back on her hands and onto the seat. Chloe smiled down at her and rested her arms over Beca's thighs. Beca made a mental note to herself that if all therapy was like this, then she may need to book up some actual sessions.

"Well, doc..." Beca fixed her eyes on the fairy lights twinkling along the ceiling of the truck to try her best to not concentrate on the fact that Chloe was touching her thighs right now. "So, there's this dildo with a mustache who's been dating my mom and now thinks he's moving in with us." Beca sighed. "How do I stop him?"

"Hmmm... that's a hard one." Chloe rested her head in one hand as she looked down at Beca; the other arm draping over Beca's thigh. "I'm not sure there's really anything you can do."

Beca laughed and kicked a leg slightly at Chloe, "Then what the hell am I talking to you for?!"

Chloe laughed and held down Beca's attacking leg. "Just because you can't stop him doesn't mean you don't fight back! The resistance begins now. You're going to need a new nickname to mark your enemy. What have you got?"

"Hmm..." Beca brought her index finger to her bottom lip in thought, "He's a stepdouche because he's inserting himself where he doesn't belong. Also... he's a douche."

"Poetic," Chloe giggled, rolling her eyes at Beca, "May I also suggest stepladder?"

Beca shook her head, "Why stepladder?"

"Because he climbs on your mom every night."

"Ew!" Beca sat upright, leaning herself up on her elbows.

"And pretty soon, they'll be _stepping_ down the aisle."

Beca shut her eyes and cringed hard at the thought, "What the hell kind of therapist are you?!"

"Sorry. It's called shock therapy," Chloe said, matter-of-factly, " _Highly_ controversial."

Beca laughed and rested her head back down on the seat. "Well... I've also been kicked out of school and I don't really know what to do about it."

"You mean how to cope with your feelings of anger and disappointment?"

"No, I mean how to express my feelings of intense joy."

Chloe laughed at her response and rolled her eyes disapprovingly, "Uh huh... Do you think you might be taking this a little _too_ well?"

"You tell me, doc." Beca looked up at Chloe with a smug look on her face, "I'd say I'm exceptionally well adjusted."

Chloe giggled and looked out of the passenger window. "I'd bet my therapists license that no one has _ever_ called you that before."

"Touché, doc." Beca looked up at Chloe's smiling blue eyes and realised that somehow, this whole 'therapy session with Dr. Chloe' was working profusely. Beca closed her eyes and thought for a moment. "I guess the last thing is that... there's this girl..."

Chloe turned her head to look down and smile at Beca, one hand resting very specifically on Beca's thigh. "Go on..."

Beca coughed a little with nervousness. Oh, the things she could say about Chloe Beale if she wasn't looking down at her with her hand resting on her freaking leg right now. "My new friend, who everyone thinks is perfect, did something batshit-fucking-nutso last night. What do I do?"

"Hmm..." Chloe paused and Beca noticed the moments of silence between them; Chloe's gaze never lifting up from Beca who was laid across her lap. "This _perfect_ friend of yours, who I'm assuming is an _exceptional_ beauty, sounds like she may have been inspired by someone new in her life." Chloe smiled whilst fixed on Beca's gaze, "Someone who is also, may I add, a _knockout_ in the looks department." Beca tried to ignore the burning she felt in her cheeks as she began to blush in a hope that it wouldn't be noticeable. She shook her head at Chloe in disbelief. "Perhaps this friend of yours, who I reiterate must be stunning, needed someone in her life to teach her."

Beca shrugged it off. "Teach her what? How to ditch school and steal wine from yuppie picnickers?"

Chloe sighed and looked Beca in the eye, wearing her heart on her sleeve and letting out an exhausted sigh. "Teach her how not to give a fuck. Because she was tired of having to give so many fucks all the time."

It was like everything that had happened between them so far had been a puzzle and the last piece had finally just slotted into place. Beca had been constantly questioning why Chloe had wanted to hang out with her, why she'd skipped school with her, stood up for her to the Principal, grabbed her hand on definitely more than three occasions... maybe the answer was simple after all. Beca knew how not to give a shit about what people thought, and Chloe _needed_ that right now. Just like Beca's dad had said in her dream. _Sometimes people need you, though. Even when they don't admit it_.

"That... makes sense." Beca breathed a sad sigh, feeling sympathy towards Chloe. They had lived opposite lives; the most perfect, adored and popular girl at school with the seemingly perfect family who was noticed by everyone, versus the angsty, rebellious, alternative girl who came from a broken home and preferred to go unnoticed. "That was actually somewhat therapeutic. Thank you."

Beca awkwardly manoeuvred herself to sit up and carefully take her legs off of Chloe's lap, getting her left food caught a bit on the dashboard resulting in what could only be described as a leg stroke from Chloe to help her get unstuck.

Chloe giggled as Beca attempted to act smooth once she was back in her seat, "It's always a pleasure delving into the mind of Beca Mitchell."

"And now it's your turn," Beca gave Chloe a gentle nudge, "Tell me all about what it's like being the daughter of Acadia Bay's most famous scumbag."

Chloe turned away from Beca upon hearing those words to face the window, and Beca gulped with regret. _Definitely too soon, Mitchell._

"It... sucks."

Beca was keen to backtrack, "Sorry! I uh... too blunt? Sorry, I do that sometimes."

"Nah, I'm just... ugh, I don't know." Chloe turned back to face Beca, shaking her head. She breathed out a weighted sigh and scooted closer to Beca, to Beca's surprise. Beca was finding the words to make things right, but before she could even muster up another apology, she felt the weight of Chloe gently resting her head down to lay on Beca's shoulder. Beca felt herself tense up almost immediately at the initial contact, before turning her head to look down at her and smelling the vague but distinct smell of Chloe's shampoo. She let herself relax almost instantly. Beca sighed looking down at Chloe leaning into her, before tilting her head to the right to rest on hers.

"Can we talk about something else?" Chloe said quietly whilst not leaving Beca's shoulder.

"Of course."

Seconds turned to minutes as time passed them by. The smoke from the wildfire looked like it was sailing through more of the sky now; there was definitely less blue and less sun. None of that mattered in this moment, however. Beca's heart beat a little out of time with every breath she heard Chloe take. She heard her sigh, heard her sniffle a little, and heard her make a content "mmmh" noise whilst she lay her head on Beca's shoulders. Right now, Beca could feel that they needed to just be; Just be in each other's presence because no one else could help them in the ways they could help each other.

Beca spoke quietly to Chloe after they had been resting there for a good while. "Hey, chances are, pretty soon this entire town will be burnt to a smoldering pile of ashes. So, you know, things are really looking up for us."

"From what I've tasted of desire, I hold with those who favor fire." Chloe replied back wistfully, and Beca knew that she had to look up the poem that was from as soon as she got the chance. "Do you think there's a point when you've been acting so much that you don't even have your own personality anymore? You're just whatever you think other people want you to be?"

Chloe sounded so lost and sad as she spoke that Beca couldn't help but feel Chloe's pain as her own, "I think you have a personality."

"I wasn't talking about me." Chloe let out a deep breath, and sat up from leaning her head on Beca's shoulder abruptly. Beca missed the closeness instantaneously. She saw the fire return to Chloe's eyes. "My dad doesn't really exist. You saw him in the Principal's office. The whole thing is a performance. And now I'm starting to feel like everything in my life is bullshit, but... he's still my dad. How can I make sure I don't end up like him?"

"You just need someone around who likes you for who you are and isn't afraid to call bullshit when needed."

Chloe's eyes dropped down and looked as if they were glistening a little with tears. "Let me know if you find any candidates for the job."

"You couldn't be like him even if you wanted to. You're too..." Beca found herself lost on the fact that there was almost too many words she could use to describe Chloe Beale. "You're too... awesome." _Good one, Beca._

"The fact that you believe that makes me feel better." Chloe's eyes warmed and she gave Beca a slight smile. She pulled her phone out from her pocket and checked the time. "Shit. Time for the play. As if my life didn't have enough drama in it."

Beca felt a pang of sadness at how quickly the afternoon had gone with Chloe. "Good luck."

"You know you're never supposed to tell an actor good luck before a show? It's _bad_ luck."

Beca laughed and shrugged in confusion, "How is telling someone good luck, bad luck?!"

"You're supposed to say 'break a leg'". Chloe gently patted Beca's thigh.

Beca laughed awkwardly, "That's dumb."

Chloe stopped for a moment; an unreadable expression on her face. "Hey, I was thinking that after the show, maybe we could do something together. Just you and me." Chloe's eyes blinked brightly at Beca.

Beca's heart raced for a moment before remembering the drama their previous adventure had consisted of; skipping school, jumping on a train, stealing wine, a forest fire, getting expelled... "Something criminal?"

"Criminally fun." Chloe winked.

Beca raised an eyebrow in approval, "I'm in."

Chloe nodded and smiled, satisfied at Beca's response to her proposal. She scooted towards the passenger door of the truck and jumped out, making her way towards the junkyard exit.

"Wait!" Beca called after her through the open window, "You forgot your bag."

"It's for you." Chloe turned around and leaned her head in through the door of the truck, "Just a little survival kit for your new life on the lam. Drive safe, Beca." Chloe finger gunned Beca as she ducked and closed the door of the truck behind her. Beca couldn't grinned and felt immediate envy that Chloe even made _finger guns_ look sexy.

She watched Chloe make her way towards the exit of the junkyard, slowly coming back to reality after being so swept up in her presence all afternoon. She watched the way she walked with confidence and how her red hair contrasted so well with both her eyes and the single bright blue feather earring she always wore. She looked through the back window of the truck to look at the bag Chloe had left for her.

The moment Beca had looked away from her, Chloe looked over her shoulder and cast a lingering look back at Beca.

She looked at the endearing, rebellious brunette and watched her as she left. Chloe couldn't help but smile the whole way back.


	12. Giving me everything, inside and out

**Chapter 12: _"Giving me everything, inside and out"_**

* * *

"Hello, junk shack."

Beca heaved up the large sheet of corrugated metal that had been propped up against the entrance to a tiny little building she had found at the edge of the junkyard. She guessed that at some point, this had acted as a small office for the people that worked here.

Now, it was going to be her new hideout.

 _Their_ new hideout.

The wooden roof needed to be patched up pretty badly. It had no door, and the inside of the small shack was full of old paint cans, pallets, a couple of chairs, and some other junk. On one of the chairs sat a portable radio. Beca set down the duffel bag Chloe had left for her on top of the wooden pallets and reached for the radio. _Please still have batteries, please still have batteries._ Beca pulled up the antenna and turned the dial.

 _"Hey, hey, hey, hey  
Ooh whoooaaa_

 _Won't you come see about me?  
I'll be alone, dancing you know it baby_

 _Tell me your troubles and doubts  
Giving me everything inside and out"_

Beca nodded her head to the rhythm as _"Don't You (Forget About Me)"_ by _Simple Minds_ started playing from the small speaker. She couldn't deny the fact that this song reminded her of Jesse and he making her watch his favorite movie, _The Breakfast Club_ , but she also couldn't deny the fact that she loved this song. She looked around at the random items littered around the shack and she realized that this shack had obviously been used as someone's hideout before; there was an old dartboard on the floor, beer bottles, a wall hanging... Beca sang along to the music whilst fixing up the shack.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket, and it another name appeared on the screen that she wasn't used to seeing appeared on the screen. It was from Benji.

 ** _hey it's benji_**

 ** _ack, i heard you got expelled, sorry!_**

 _Yeah, I rolled a 1 against Wells_

 _Get it?_

Beca smiled at herself, proud of her D&D reference that she knew Benji would appreciate.

 ** _cynthia-rose says you're a nerd_**

She had to admit, she felt almost sad that she hadn't taken the time to hang out with Cynthia-Rose or Benji before she got expelled from Barden. Benji was an adorable nerd and Cynthia-Rose was the queen of cool. Beca placed her phone back in her pocket and unzipped Chloe's duffel bag.

Clothes.

Beca picked up the first thing she saw inside; a white vest top with a black ram skull across the front of it. She lifted up the top and held it up to her face, breathing in. Even though it smelled of clean laundry, there was something so undeniably sweet and Chloe about it that it made her head spin and her insides twist a little. She looked down at her own t-shirt and realized that it had got grease on it from when she was changing over the battery of the truck earlier that day; it was just as well Chloe had thought ahead and brought Beca a bag of her clothes.

She wiped the dust off of an old mirror that was sitting in the corner and admired how the top looked on her. The height difference between her and Chloe meant that the vest was definitely big on Beca; she looked to the side and it showed her the side of her black bra strap beneath her arms but... with her faded skinny jeans and black boots, Chloe's top worked on her and she looked _hot_.

She checked her phone in her pocket and saw the text from Luke that she'd been waiting for.

 _ **I'm at the junkyard now**_

She puffed out an anxious breath, tucking away the duffel bag out of sight so she could come back and fetch it later. She grinned as she eyed up her new hideout. Seeing as she didn't plan on going home at least for a while, she was sure this could be a second fix-up project after the truck. She grabbed her black permanent marker from her jeans pocket, pulled off the lid, and approached the bare brick wall.

 ** _BECA WAS HERE_**

She nodded her head in satisfaction after marking her territory.

* * *

Sure enough, Beca saw Luke's RV parked up immediately as soon as she'd left the shack. She walked with caution towards it, not really knowing what to expect. He was a sketchy guy at the best of times, but it was extremely unusual for him to call _her_ and ask to meet up. She rounded the back of the RV and approached the side door. Before she'd reached it, the door swung open.

A white dress.

A tattoo sleeve down one arm.

Long auburn hair.

It was the woman that Chloe and her had seen kissing Chloe's dad at the park yesterday. Just as Beca gasped quietly upon recognizing her, the women stopped and turned around to face Beca; giving her a completely unreadable expression. The woman turned back around and carried on walking, rounding the corner and out of sight as she left the junkyard.

 _"What the hell...?"_

Beca shook the confusion from her head. There was way too much to deal with right now. She knew better than to follow the random woman who Chloe's dad had been cheating on his wife with; for now, she needed to talk to Luke. She lifted her hand and knocked on the RV.

"Yo, Luke! It's Beca!"

No answer.

"I don't know the secret password, man." She banged on the door of his RV again, "Is the password... drugs?"

The door swung open and Beca stepped back to stop it from hitting her in the face. "Mitchell! Get your ass in here." She did as she was told.

Once inside, she coughed immediately. "Dude! It smells like piss in here." She looked around at the dingy RV and scrunched up her face at the smell; a heavy rock song she didn't recognize played over the radio.

"Shut up." Luke took off his black cap for a second and ran a hand through his blonde hair.

"Damn... you have a rough night or something?"

"Every night's a rough night, Beca." He took a seat at the wheel and started the engine, "I've got a notebook in the back somewhere. Go get it for me?"

Beca reluctantly headed to the back of the RV. She put her hand to the door handle and began opening the door, until she was almost knocked to her feet.

"Wait... wha—" A puppy bounded into her and ran around her feet, gnawing at the ankle of her skinny jeans. Beca looked down at it and she couldn't hide how adorable she found it. "Hey there, little guy!"

"Aw shit, Pompidou!" The tiny puppy ran straight over to Luke and sat down at his side.

"Beca. Notebook, then we can talk."

Beca ruffled Pompidou's ears one last time then headed back to grab the notebook. She had to admit, it was kind of adorable that hardass Luke had somehow gained a puppy in the time since she'd last met up with him. She found it on his bed, and looked down at the page it had been open on. 

_4/10 – Lou - $195_

 _4/11 – Daryl - $210_

 _4/14 – Beca - $80_

Beca gulped as she saw her name. _Shit._

 __

 _4/16 – Harvey - $120_

 _4/25 – Bumper - $1050_

 _4/28 – Lou - $60_

 _4/29 – Tom - $145_

"Is this the notebook, Luke?" Beca held it up

"That's the one," Luke nodded his head, keeping his eyes on the road, "Have a seat."

"Hey, can I just ask..." Beca took a seat across from him at the front of the RV, "Who was that woman?"

"What woman?" Luke acted oblivious.

"The one I saw coming out of your RV?" Beca hated how much Luke would brush her off.

"Oh yeah, I meant to introduce you." Luke turned his head to look at Beca, "Her name is Mind Your Own Fucking Business."

Beca knew that Luke wasn't going to give her anything very easily, but she _knew_ she had to find out more about this woman for Chloe. Chloe would want to know more. Chloe deserved to know more.

"Dude, I'm just curious. What's the big deal?"

"Beca, don't be dumb." He waved her off, "I make money by being discreet."

"Luke, you _know_ I hate everyone. Who do you think I'm gonna tell?"

Luke sighed. He might act like Beca annoyed him a lot of the time, but they definitely had things in common. Hating most of the world was high on that list. "Why don't you tell me why you're so hung up on this chick first?"

"I just wanna know, man." Beca racked her brains and came up with an offer she knew he couldn't refuse. "If you tell me, I'll get my mom to cook you up something special next time you're at the diner."

"Alright, Mitchell," Luke surrendered. If there was one thing he couldn't resist, it was Beca's moms cooking. "That woman you saw... her name's Sera. Showed up a few weeks ago causing all kinds of trouble for all sorts of people."

 _"I'll say..."_ Beca muttered under her breath.

"What was that?"

"Like who?" Beca promptly corrected herself.

"It's a little out of your league, Beca. Don't worry about it."

"But what _kind_ of trouble, exactly?" Beca was desperate to know more if it meant that she could help Chloe.

"Forget about it, Beca. I shouldn't have opened my mouth."

Beca leant back in the chair and sighed in frustration. She tried, at least. "Thanks anyway."

"You hear that the mill burned down?"

 _Shit_.

"I knew about the forest fire but I didn't know about the mill... Firewalk played there just the other night and blew the roof off."

"It's crazy, A guy I know... my friend Damon... he runs that place and he lost _a lot_ of money last night."

"Money from what?"

"He's always had a few things going on. I help him out sometimes." Luke's voice was anxious, "Lately, he's been doing stuff that I don't like, but... yeah." He cleared his throat. "Anyway, you and I have shit to discuss."

"Dude, is this about the money I owe you? I didn't even realize—"

"No, I don't give a shit about that. You can pay me some other time." He turned the RV around the corner and Beca realized they were almost back in town. "I have a job for you. Open my notebook to the last page. Should be an entry for a kid named Bumper. You know him?"

"Bumper Allen? Yeah I—" Beca gasped when she saw how much he owed Luke; she did not like Bumper at the best of times. He had been one of the first people to make her life at Barden a living hell and she hated how much he made fun of people like Benji. His dad was the richest man in Acadia Bay, and practically owned the entire place. Bumper's dad was notorious; he was the reason most of the businesses in town closed down and it was obvious Bumper had only made it into Barden because of his dad's status. Still, she honestly had no idea that he did stuff like _this_.

"Bumper runs oxy for Damon to the jocks at Barden; apparently they eat it up like candy."

Beca would never have thought that freaking Bumper Allen was making money by pushing drugs to the jocks. "Smart kid."

"Problem is, Bumper owes $1,000 and he's not answering my calls. You know what's going on with him?"

"Um, besides him being a douchebag?"

"This is the first time he's done this. Kid's actually smart." Luke tapped his hand along to the rhythm of the music on the radio. "Anyway, I'm taking you to Barden. Your job is to go into Bumper's room, find the money, and I'll meet you to pick it up."

"Dude... I dunno. I feel weird about going into his room."

"You're forgetting you still owe me money too?" He had a point. And right now, Beca could _not_ afford to pay back Luke if she and Chloe had any hope in hell of getting out of Acadia Bay.

"So... if I do this, then we're good?"

"That, and I'll do even better. I'll give you a 10% cut of the money."

Beca thought of Chloe sitting, smiling by her side in the passenger seat of the truck. Thought about them going out to bars and having the time of their lives every night. Thought about them both leaving everything behind and running away with each other.

"Okay. Yeah, sure. I'll do it. Just..." Beca bit her lip anxiously, "It might be a bit tough. I'm not supposed to be at Barden. I... got expelled this morning."

"It's still easier for you to go on campus than me. It's been a good few years since I was a senior there."

Luke had a point, and Beca knew that being $100 better off could actually, genuinely help her and Chloe. Help get the truck fixed. Help pay for some gas... they could really do it. They could really leave for good.

"I'll do it."

* * *

 _"Definitely didn't think I'd be back at Barden this soon."_

Beca sighed and walked cautiously up the path to the dorms after Luke had dropped her off in the parking lot. The afternoon sun cast a golden glow across the campus grounds. Luckily, there weren't many students around right now thanks to it being right in the middle of 6th period. Her phone buzzed, and she smiled when she saw that it was the one person she was hoping for.

 ** _Hey you. I'm back at school yet again. They've got some tents up for dressing rooms._**

 ** _What are you up to?_**

 _I'm here too actually. Running an errand for my dealer_

 ** _Oh, really!_**

 ** _You're so bad, Beca Mitchell._**

 ** _Come see me when you're done?_**

 _Yeah for sure_

Beca paused, and ran over her thoughts. She knew she should tell Chloe what she'd seen earlier and what she'd found out from Luke.

 _P.S. I saw that woman that your dad was with coming out of my dealer's RV!_

 ** _What?_**

 _Apparently she's causing trouble for a lot of people or something. Her name's Sera?_

 _Chloe?_

 ** _I think maybe I prefer not knowing her name._**

 _Oh my bad_

 ** _No, it's fine._**

 _See ya soon_

Beca clicked her phone off and turned the corner towards the boy's dorms. On a bench on the green just outside them, she saw Cynthia-Rose reading. Cynthia-Rose might just be the coolest person left at Barden now that Beca Mitchell was gone. Beca saw a poster for The Tempest on the wall behind Cynthia-Rose; Chloe Beale being the star of the show. " _Besides Chloe, obviously."_

"Hey, CR." Beca perched herself on the bench next to Cynthia-Rose, quickly swiping what she was reading and inspecting it for herself.

"Whoa... hey, Beca."

"Surprised to see me on parole?"

"Man, I told you Wells was out to get you. That text was a rare courtesy, by the way." Cynthia-Rose shook her head at Beca, "I don't normally get involved in other people's dumbass decisions."

"Thanks for trying, but skipping yesterday was _totally_ worth it."

"Skipping with Chloe Beale does have an appeal..."

"Well, yeah." Beca didn't really know what to say, except pretty much _anything_ with Chloe had an appeal.

"So, what _are_ you doing here? Y'know, since you kind of got expelled this morning?"

 _Shit._ Cynthia-Rose was smart, and Beca knew it was best to not explain the _real_ reason she was on campus right now.

"Uhh... I figured I'd see The Tempest?"

"For real? _You?_ " Cynthia-Rose saw right through her.

"Yeah, I know. It's not really my thing... kinda hoping it's a shitshow."

"What the hell, Beca?! **I'm** the stage manager!"

Beca hated herself immediately. "Crap, sorry! My bad."

"Girl, you better be sorry. The show's really good. It's worth seeing."

"I'm sure it is." Beca replied, unconvinced.

" _Obviously_ Chloe's fantastic, but everyone else is pretty impressive, too. You get to see a totally different side to everyone," Cynthia-Rose laughed, "Especially the guys."

Beca winced, "Okay, now you just unconvinced me."

"Why am I not surprised?" Cynthia-Rose winked at Beca.

Beca stammered, trying not to think too much into whatever Cynthia-Rose was trying to hint at, "Yeah, well... good luck with all that. Maybe I'll see you later."

"Oh, hey, I wanted to ask you something."

"Shoot."

Cynthia-Rose looked at Beca, "So I've been planning to make a move on Chloe, but not if you two were together."

Beca blinked.

She sat there looking back at Cynthia-Rose, then down at the ground in thought.

Cynthia-Rose had made it sound so simple.

"Make a move?"

"Yeah?" Cynthia-Rose awaited her answer, "So? Are you?"

"Uh..."

"I mean, that's Chloe's business, or... yours and Chloe's business? But if you feel comfortable telling me..." Cynthia-Rose was reaching out to Beca. She was reaching out to try and let Beca know that it was _okay_ if Chloe made her feel things so intensely that she didn't even know how to put it into words. She was letting her know it was _okay_ if she was confused, if she and Chloe were just friends, or if there was something _more._

"You think we're... together?"

"You've been hanging out a lot, which I know might not mean anything, but I like to be extra careful about these things." Cynthia-Rose was so sincere in her words that Beca felt guilty for not even really knowing the answer herself.

"I'm... We're... I don't know..." Beca sighed and looked helplessly at Cynthia-Rose. If only she was as sure of herself as she was, "It's... It's confusing."

"Yeah... I can imagine." Cynthia-Rose looked at Beca and assured her, "You ever wanna talk to me, Beca, you know you can, right?"

Beca gave her a subtle smile, "I'll see you later, CR."

"Have fun storming the castle."


	13. Hell is empty

**Chapter 13: _"Hell is empty, and all the devils are here"_**

* * *

Beca looked up at the front door to the boy's dorms and sighed. The past few days had been completely surreal, so it's not like entering Bumper's room and stealing the money would change much... right? _Here goes nothing_.

She placed her hand on the front door handle, only for it to somehow turn on its own.

The door opened before she could do anything, causing her to stumble on the steps. She got ready to run and get the hell out of dodge.

"Beca?"

She spun around and looked up, nervously smiling at the person responsible. Theo, campus security, reporting for duty.

"H-h-hey, Theo! How's it going? Beca forced a fake grin.

"Um... not that it isn't great to see you and stuff, but what the hell are you doing here?" He put his hands on his hips, "Didn't you just get expelled?"

"Dude, it's totally cool. I'm just visiting a friend." Beca tried to act the complete opposite of someone who was on your everyday, breaking into the dorms, run of the mill, drug money mission.

"Beca... I... I really can't just let you go in."

"Theo, it's important. You're just gonna have to let this one slide, dude."

"Sorry, Beca. Not this time. In fact..." Theo coughed and attempted to assert his authority, "I'm gonna have to ask you to state your official business, or vacate Barden property."

"My business?" Beca paused. She was going to have to pull something pretty good out of the bag to get past Theo. "It's _women's_ business, Theo. As in, my uterus? I _need_ to use the bathroom. Glad you asked?"

"Whoa, hey!" Theo took a step back, his eyes widening. "It's my _job_ to ask Beca. You know what the Principal would do if I just let you in?"

"Seriously, dude! My uterus is _on fire_." Beca hunched over, holding her stomach. Chloe would be proud of her acting skills for sure, "En fuego utero, Theo! En fuego, utero!"

Theo looked dumbfounded. "Jesus! Okay, okay! Just do what you have to do just... make it quick, alright?" He practically ran off and out of sight.

 _Phew._

She walked up the steps and entered into the boys dorms as her phone vibrated. She saw an anxious Luke's messages appear on her screen.

 ** _Beca. How's it going?_**

 ** _Have you found it yet?_**

 _Chill out man, it's been like 5 minutes_

 ** _It's been 20._**

 _Ok ok, I'm on it_

 ** _Hurry up._**

Beca breathed a deep breath to try and muster up the courage, wiping a bead of sweat from her brow. The smell of popcorn filled her nostrils as she walked down the corridor of the boy's dorms. Jesse was definitely in his room, meaning that he was the very last person she needed to bump into right now. She tried to keep her footsteps as quiet as possible. Her phone buzzed again in the pocket of her skinny jeans and Beca winced at the noise. _Fuck sake, Luke. Are you trying to get me busted?_

 ** _FIRE WEATHER UPDATE.  
FOREST WATCH, ACADIA BAY, OR. 04:51 PM PST SAT 5 MAY 2012  
Overlook Park Fire now 50% contained.  
Additional road closures. Check local media._**

Beca shook her head. Yesterday she witnessed Chloe cause a crazy forest fire, and today she was breaking into the boy's dorms to get drug money from Bumper. _Yep, completely normal week for Beca Mitchell. Nothing to see here._

She rounded the corner of the dorms and, thanks to her past with Jesse and spending some time in his dorm room, she was pretty sure she remembered roughly which room was Bumper's, because she made sure to avoid it like the plague. Each room had a small whiteboard on the wall outside of it for students to right messages to each other or to themselves, which actually seemed like a kind of terrible idea now she thought of it. She reached the end of the corridor on the first floor and came to room 110.

 ** _GO TREBLES!_**

 _Score._ The Treble Makers were an all-male a cappella group at Barden Academy, and Bumper was their captain. " _Thank god for organised nerd singing,"_ Beca thought to herself. She scanned the corridor, making sure that no one else was a round. She held her head in her hands for a second and took a shaky breath. _Okay, Mitchell. You can do this._ She knocked on Bumper's door, praying that it would go unanswered.

Nothing.

Now was her chance. She opened the door with slow caution, opening it just a tiny crack to see inside. A sigh of relief ran over her as she looked upon the empty dorm room. A _John Mayer_ poster hung above Bumper's bed, and saw his Treblemakers jacket hanging proudly on his wardrobe door. Bumper might have been one of Barden's biggest douchebags, but Beca realized that he was actually super geeky himself. She guessed that the fact that he pushed pills to the jocks on campus kept him in their good books instead of them teasing him for his singing, dancing, a cappella ways. She looked around his room for any signs of the money. On his bed, she saw a discarded grey and bright pink t-shirt with "PRIVATE DANCER" written in huge, glittery letters across the front. _"I don't even want to know the story behind that."_ Beca rolled her eyes. On his desk across the room, she couldn't help but notice a pretty important looking letter.

 _"Dear Mr. Allen_

 _We are pleased to invite you and your group, The Treblemakers from Barden Academy, Acadia Bay, OR, to partake in the 2012 International Championship of Student A Cappella._

 _The ICSAs are hosted each year by Varsity Vocals at Lincoln Center in New York City, NY. The competition will take place on Saturday 19_ _th_ _May 2012._

 _Please prepare a 12 minute performance, choosing songs that highlight your group's strengths. Groups will be judged on their vocal ranges and performances, as well visual presentation and choreography._

 _The winning group will receive a grand cash prize of $25,000. This is an incredible and honorable opportunity to jump-start your professional careers._

 _We look forward to seeing your performance, and to having you here in New York City._

 _Congratu-aca-lations,_

 _Varsity Vocals"_

Beca cringed at the a cappella pun, but was shocked to read that Bumper and his group of Treblemakers were actually _good_. _"Damn. 25 thousand bucks sure would come in handy."_ Beca contemplated the thought of starting her own all-female a cappella group, and laughed to herself at the idea. She would rather watch _The Breakfast Club_ every day for a year with Jesse than partake in organized nerd singing. She opened the top drawer of his desk, and found a white envelope.

$1,000 lay inside of it.

 _Jackpot. Literally._

She nudged Bumper's desk drawer closed with a swing of her hip, and folded up the envelope. She shoved it into her jeans back pocket and headed straight for the door to make her exit. As if on cue, the door handle turned and Beca took three very nervous steps back; taking a 360 degree look around her to find any sign of a hiding place. _Fuck. Fuck. Fuck._

Beca stood there helplessly before acknowledging the person entering Bumper's room. A very out of breath blonde crashed into the room and stopped in her tracks.

"Becky Michaels?!"

"...Amy?"

"That's _Fat_ Amy, to you."

"And that's Beca Mitchell to you, too."

"W-w-what are you doing here?" Fat Amy frowned and looked behind her as if to make sure no one had seen her enter Bumper's room.

Beca panicked, but also wondered what the hell Barden's Aussie Queen of Sass and giver of no fucks was doing in Bumper's room too. "Um... I could say the same to you?"

"Uhhhhh..." Fat Amy looked around Bumper's dorm room and racked her brains with an open mouth, "I uh... came for my jacket which Bumper picked up by mistake." She walked over to his closet door and took the Treblemakers jacket off of its hanger. She struggled to put one arm through the sleeve; each sleeve almost came up to her elbows and the seams looked fit to burst.

"Is that so?" Beca tried not to laugh at the sight of her squeezing into Bumper's aca-boy-band getup. "You sure you didn't mean to say you came to pick up your shirt instead?" Beca nodded a look to the pink and grey 'PRIVATE DANCER' sweatshirt on the bed.

"That... would have been easier, yes." Fat Amy eyed it regretfully.

"Amy! My love, we've really gotta split, I'm sorry, I-"

Beca froze on the spot as Bumper Allen appeared in the doorway behind Amy.

"Becky Michaels? What the heck are you doing in my room?"

"Uh... It's Beca Mitchell. And I... uh..."

"Doesn't matter. Amy, we gotta get out of here. Get your things." Bumper urged her, his voice shaking.

"Bumper, you're kind of freaking me out, what the jeff is going on?" Fat Amy looked panicked as she picked up her shirt from the bed and a pair of shoes which had also been tucked away underneath it.

From outside in the corridor, Beca heard a voice and the sound of the front door closing. "Bumper, relax. Slow down."

Beca peered her head out of the door, and saw a skeevy, skinny, dark haired guy with his back to her; looking down the other end of the hall. She vaguely recognized him, quickly pin-pointing that she'd seen him fighting with another guy outside the mill the night of the Firewalk gig. That must be Luke's "friend", Damon. _Fuck._

"Shit." Bumper hissed, pulling Beca back into his dorm room and out of sight.

"You're making me think you're nervous about something," Damon's voice was sinisterly calm.

"Bumper. What's going on?" Fat Amy's eyes were wide.

"Just... ack! Just stay in here, and don't say anything, my love." Bumper's voice shook with nerves. He turned to look at Beca. "Whatever you do, Becky Michaels, keep her safe, and don't open the door."

Bumper left his dorm room, closing the door behind him.

"Damon, you shouldn't have come here. School is not the place for this."

"Really? Then where is the place to collect my fucking money?"

"I told you, I don't have it."

"You owe me a grand, Bumper. Where is it?"

Fat Amy looked to Beca with anxiousness in her eyes; Beca shook her head to signal for her to keep as quiet as she could.

"I'll get it to you soon, man. Sales have been down but... the jocks... there's a big Bigfoot's game coming up. They're gonna need all the oxy they can get."

Damon didn't care. "Listen, daddy's boy. Your dad happens to be the richest fuck in the whole of town. Where is the money?"

"I'll get it to you in one week man. I promise. I... ARGH."

A thud.

"No one, steals from me! Especially pathetic _Glee_ geeks like you, got it?!"

Another thud.

"You don't need to hit me man! I... Argh!"

Fat Amy panicked and sprung into action. "I'm gonna crush him like a cheesecake!"

"Amy, no!" Beca stopped her with all the force she could muster.

Another thud. A lot louder, and a lot harder.

"Let me go! The kraken has been unleashed." Amy rolled up her sleeves, ready for a fight.

"Amy! Bumper wanted you to stay inside, remember?!" Beca ran to Bumper's dorm room door, pressing her back to it so Amy couldn't leave.

"That dickweed is gonna feel the fat power, and you are too if you don't get out of my way, Mitchell!"

Beca stood her ground and winced as she heard one final, hard thud come down on Bumper. Amy gasped and paced the room in helplessness. Beca felt like she could throw up at any moment, she felt awful.

"Good luck performing your aca-lame routines on that knee, boy band. Bye bye, championships." Damon's voice began to fade and Beca heard his steps fade down the hall, "Get my money, or it will be that fatass girlfriend of yours I talk to next," Damon called out to him one last time before she heard the front door open and close.

Fat Amy shoved Beca out of the way, throwing the dorm room door open. "Bumper?!"

Beca gasped when she saw him in a heap the ground. His nose was bleeding, and one of his eyes was severely swollen. He was holding his leg in agony.

"It's okay, my love..." Bumper looked to Amy as she fell down on the floor to comfort him. He nestled into her bosom. "It's okay." He looked up to Beca, "Thank you, Beca. Thank you."

"No, not 'thank you Beca!'" Amy protested, "I could have had that kraut for lunch if she'd let me at him."

Beca looked down at the ground, shifting her feet awkwardly as she felt the guilt cloak over her. She was suddenly very aware of the $1,000 in the pocket of her jeans. She wasn't sure if she could hate herself more.

"I... I didn't do anything." Nope, right _there_ was where she hated herself the most.

"You kept my girlfrie...Amy. You kept Amy safe."

"Like hell she did! She just got in the way of me going apeshit on that pinhead." Amy scowled at Beca, "Bumper, we need to get you to a hospital. Like, now."

Beca looked down at Bumper's leg and looked away with regret. She couldn't bear to look at it. "What are you gonna do?"

"Well... Looks like I'm not going to the ICSAs. It's cool. It's not like it was my dream or anything. Nope." Bumper shook his head as if to get rid of any signs of tears. "And with Damon? I'm just... gonna take it one day at a time, I guess."

Beca sighed with remorse.

"I hear you."

* * *

Crickets began to sound outside as Beca made her way across the Barden grounds. The sky above was purple as the sun began to set over Acadia Bay. Looming, grey smoke filled the skyline above the forest in the distance as the forest fire continued to steadily rumble and burn. She came to the outside stage area where The Tempest was to be performed tonight. Candles and strings of fairy lights glowed warmly and the stage itself was actually pretty impressive, Beca thought. The backdrop showed a beautiful beach, with cliffs overlooking the sea. The sky of the background was a luminous orange to mark the sunset. Beca walked down the middle of the aisle between the empty seats for the audience that was to show up later tonight. She rounded the back of the stage, and saw the dressing room tents that Chloe had mentioned in her text; drama students sat around reciting their lines and laughing amongst themselves. _"This day has been so messed up,"_ she thought to herself as she felt lost under the warm fairy lights. _"At least I can talk to Chloe now... If I can find her amongst the drama geeks."_ She sighed with regret as she felt her phone buzz against her pocket.

 ** _How's your super long errand going?_**

 _Yo crazy shit happened in Bumper's room_

 _Like really bad_

 ** _Oh no. Bumper Allen? What?_**

 ** _Are you okay? Do you need to talk about it?_**

 _Yeah later. Don't worry until the show is over_

 _I'm backstage_

 ** _Great. On my way._**

 ** _Can't wait to see you._**

Beca smiled sadly as she read over those last words. She was pretty sure Chloe would hate her as much as she hated herself right now once she found out what had happened. The weight of the money felt heavy in her pocket and she knew that she should have given it back to help Bumper... but what about Luke? What about the debt? What about her _own_ debt? What about getting the hell out of Acadia Bay with Chloe? Her head and heart hurt.

She surveyed the backstage area and saw the table full of props; fake swords and fake spears. Damn, she'd already seen what it was like to see Chloe play with fire but Chloe playing with swords? That was something that she _had_ to see. She heard a muttering from behind her; Stacie was in a white lace costume with flowers around her head. She was sat on the grass talking to herself, almost in a trance. "Uh... hi Stacie?"

"Did Doug dig David's garden or did David dig Doug's? Did Doug dig David's garden or did David dig Doug's? Did Doug..."

"...Hell if I know." Beca backed off, wary of the concentration on her face as she performed her warm-up. _Theater geeks are another breed entirely._ She passed Donald reciting his lines and she approached the dressing room tents. He was in a purple tunic and a cape swooped over his shoulders, as he reached out his arm for dramatic effect. Beca couldn't help but smile at how much he was dedicating to this. "Hey Donald."

"Address me as Ferdinand, good lady."

"Alright... hey, Ferdinand?"

"'Sup, Becky. I mean... 'sup, fair maiden."

"It's Beca, but... great method acting, dude." Beca sighed, sarcasm present in her voice.

"Really? Thanks!" He outstretched his arm again and returned to reciting his lines.

Beca needed to find Chloe right now to help restore some of her sanity. She headed for the girl's dressing room tents. She peered her head in, but stopped dead in her tracks upon seeing none other than Aubrey Posen standing at the dressing room table. _Shit._ If anyone was going to snitch on her for being back at Barden whilst she was expelled, it was Aubrey. She carefully watched her curiously as she saw Aubrey fiddling with two teacups on the table. She watched her crouch down and rummage through her bag. She held something in her hand. A small pot of pills. _Wait, what the fuck?_ She watched as Aubrey plopped one into one of the teacups, and heard the clink of a teaspoon mixing. Aubrey stood up, satisfied with what she'd done. She began to turn on her heels, and Beca jumped to hide behind the curtain, out of sight. That was shady as shit. _Oh hell no, Posen._ Once she was sure she had gone, Beca approached Aubrey's bag which sat beneath the dressing table. A message from Luke buzzed in her pocket.

 ** _I just talked to Damon._**

 ** _He said he had to come down hard. Didn't see you._**

 ** _What happened? Did you find the money?_**

 ** _Mitchell. Where's the money?_**

 ** _This is serious. Quit fucking around._**

 ** _Unless you're dead, reply._**

 ** _Let's meet tomorrow. Have answers._**

Beca let out a nervous breath. At least all that shit with Luke and Bumper's money could wait until tomorrow. She rummaged through Aubrey's bag (which, of course, was definitely some fancy designer brand Beca hadn't heard of), looking for the orange pill pot she had seen her with before she put something in one of the drinks. She emptied it onto the dressing table, and hastily picked up the pills as they rolled onto the surface. _Muscle relaxers? What the hell?_

"Coming Chloe?" She heard Aubrey's voice approaching the tent again. She sauntered in, and Chloe walked in behind her. Chloe was back in that purple one piece; the one with the ripped leggings the top half which wrapped around her tightly, hugging her curves. Aubrey ushered her inside, "Hurry now, before your tea gets..." Aubrey stopped immediately and her face dropped at the sight of the rebel brunette. Beca smiled back at her with her arms folded across her chest. Over Aubrey's shoulder, Chloe smiled broadly at Beca. Aubrey glared back at her. "Ugh. What are _you_ doing here, Becky Michaels? This area is for cast and crew only."

"I'm here to support Chloe." Beca smiled at the redhead stood next to Aubrey. Chloe smiled back and eyed her curiously; she could read Beca like a book and knew that she was up to something. "I want to make sure she's... _relaxed_... before the show." She folded her arms. _I'm onto you, Posen._

"Ugh. Whatever." Aubrey brushed past Beca and headed over to the dressing table and to the cups of tea. Beca and Chloe approached each other, smiling warmly. Beca couldn't help but almost feel... nervous? Shy? Like a complete and utter dork? After all that she'd been through today, she just wanted to hug Chloe and tell her _everything_. Their meeting was interrupted by Aubrey who walked over to Chloe, a cup of tea in her hand. "Chloe. It was customary among the thespians of ancient Greece for the understudy to offer hot tea to the lead actress on opening night, as a way of showing appreciation for her tutelage." She offered the tea to Chloe, "It is in that spirit that I offer you this beverage. May it help to reveal the essence of your talents for all to see."

Chloe smiled back at her awkwardly, "Wow. That, um... thanks?"

"Hold up!" Beca was shutting this down. "Did you hear that?"

Aubrey threw Beca a confused look, "Hear what? I didn't hear anything."

"Oh, I hear it now!" Chloe chimed in, clocking on to Beca's hints. "It... it sounds like Mr. Dean is calling for you."

"He is? He probably wants my thoughts on the set dressing," Aubrey placed the cups of tea back on the dressing table before hurrying out of the tent, "Okay, don't go anywhere, Chlo! I'll be right back."

Chloe looked at Beca with a curious look in her eyes, approaching her and nudging her gently with her elbow as she stood by her side. "What's going on?"

"Bitch dosed your tea," Beca showed Chloe the pot of pills.

"That is..." Chloe took the pills from Beca's hand and her eyes widened before she rolled her eyes, "...the least surprising thing ever. What should we do?"

Beca smiled mischievously at Chloe, before swivelling on her heels towards the dressing table. She picked up both cups of tea before switching them over and placing them on the opposite cups. "Problem solved."

"Damn. Beca Mitchell, what would I do without you?" Chloe's eyes sparkled warmly against the golden glow of the fairy lights lacing the ceiling of the tent. The light around them was dim, but Chloe's eyes lit up the room and Beca couldn't help but feel so damn drawn to them. Her body felt as it was inching closer to Chloe without her even realizing it. A second passed. Ocean blue eyes dropped down to look at her lips and back to her eyes and this time, Beca _knew_ that she'd seen it. Her lips immediately felt dry, and she wet them slightly with her tongue as a subconscious reaction.

She panicked.

"Uh... you'd have super relaxed muscles, I guess."

The moment was interrupted as Aubrey renounced her presence.

"Ugh! Mr. Dean's busy with Donald. I'm sure he'll call on my aesthetic sensibilities soon. In the meantime..." Beca stood to the side as Aubrey approached the newly switched cups of tea, "Let us drink." Chloe took the offering of tea from Aubrey and smiled at her. They clinked the cups together before they both brought the cups to their lips. "Make sure you drink it all, Chlo. Your instrument will thank you.

Chloe sipped the tea and smiled at her, "I am so glad to have such a kind and caring friend as you, Aubrey."

"Aw, samesies!" Aubrey's voice responded back in a high pitched tone.

Beca felt as if she'd lost a brain cell or two just from hearing that word. She mocked her, grinning sarcastically, "Samesies, too."

"...aaaanyway. I'll see you out there. Break a leg!" Aubrey left, eyeing Beca suspiciously before leaving the tent.

"Soooo... that happened." Chloe closed the distance between her and Beca once again.

"Just when I thought this day couldn't get any batshit crazier."

"Oh hey, that's mine!" Chloe eyed the top that Beca was wearing. "A shirt for a free spirit. I knew you'd pick that one."

"You can read me like a script, Chloe Beale." Beca smiled back at her proudly; the feeling of fluttering butterflies returning to her stomach.

"Sweet tarnations, we're ruined! The show is **ruined**!" Mr. Dean's shrieks from outside interrupted their moment.

"...that was quick."

* * *

Beca and Chloe left the dressing room tent and gathered around the forlorn drama teacher along with the other theater students. Mr. Dean ran a stressed hand through his grey hair before holding them together in earnest. "My dear young artists, a misfortune most unkind has befallen us. Florencia is waylaid. That infernal inferno is the culprit, closing down roads and robbing us of our Ariel," he pointed dramatically to the billowing smoke of the forest fire in the distance. "Would that she could but manifest on her master's whim as a true spirit. Alas..." He balled his hands in desperation, "Devoid of an understudy, the situation is a dire one indeed. I'm afraid we may have to cancel the show. Truly, we are a cursed lot. Even my prodigious imagination cannot conceive a worse turn of fate."

"Miiissssssster Dean... I have r-r-revelations to reveal." Aubrey stepped forward, wobbling on her feet as she did so, "C-Chloe Beale is on _drugs_." She threw a point at Chloe as if she was drunk. "Look at her! Her face... it's so blurry... and pretty..." She collapsed in a heap on the floor. Stacie ran over to her to check that she was okay.

"Touche, fates. Touché..." Mr. Dean threw his head back dramatically, speaking to the heavens.

Chloe took a few steps back so that she was standing next to Beca. Without saying anything, she gave Beca a curious, side-eyed look. Beca laughed awkwardly. "What?" Chloe didn't say anything; instead folding her arms in defiance and smiling encouragingly at Beca. Beca quickly read Chloe's mind. "Oh. Ohhhh. No way!"

"Mr. Dean, Beca could step in for Flo—"

"—no fucking chance—"

"—At least until the roads clear."

"The romantic?" Mr. Dean eyed her, pondering.

"She's the right fit for Flo's costume," Chloe said matter-of-factly, looking Beca up and down.

"She is indeed!" Excitement filled Mr. Dean's face as he approached Beca. "Tell me, my dear, have you ever acted before?"

"Hell no—"

"—she's being modest. We play improv games all the time, and she's fantastic at it."

"My dear," his eyes looked pleadingly at her, "What if I told you that the entire fate of the production rests upon your slender shoulders?"

Beca's palms began to sweat as she looked quickly between Chloe and Mr. Dean in disbelief. She looked to Aubrey, who was now sleeping soundly on the grass. "I'd say you're super fucked."

"Beca, _please._ For me." Chloe looked at Beca with big, hopeful, puppy dog eyes.

Beca let out a defeated sigh.

 _Damn it..._


End file.
